


Darkest Dungeon, Blazing Bright

by JohnJoestar



Category: Darkest Dungeon (Video Game), 英雄伝説VI 空の軌跡 | The Legend of Heroes: Sora no Kiseki (Video Games)
Genre: Action/Adventure, Cannibalism, Crossover, Dark Fantasy, F/M, Graphic Description of Corpses, Lovecraftian Monster(s), Post-Trails in the Sky SC, Spoilers for all Kiseki/Trails titles, Vomiting
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-09-01
Updated: 2019-06-22
Packaged: 2019-07-05 11:43:20
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 13
Words: 71,186
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15862941
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/JohnJoestar/pseuds/JohnJoestar
Summary: Seekers always find their way to the Hamlet, chasing fortune, glory, or redemption. Inevitably, they'll find the Heir, offering work cleansing the corruption that plagues the land. They arrive ambitious, and leave broken - if they leave at all.The young woman simply known as The Bracer seeks a man, dark-haired and amber-eyed, and the Heir is there to offer leads. She shines like the sun, sparkling with cheer and determination. For a moment, he indulges in the hope that this one will be different.Unlikely. None escape the horrors of the Darkest Dungeon unscathed.But this one might just live long enough to discover what lies in its heart.





	1. It Begins

**Author's Note:**

> In terms of timeline, the story takes place between Trails of Cold Steel 2 and 4, so this means Estelle and Joshua are around 19.

**???**

_"Stick close to me, Joshua!"_

_"Estelle, grab the artifact! I'll cut us a way out of here!"_

_"There's too many of them!"_

Estelle Bright shot up, gasping for air. She threw off the blanket and saw that she was wearing pajamas made from particularly coarse cotton threads instead of the outfit she usually wore for Bracer work, which was folded in a neat pile on a chair beside the bed. Her trusty Bo staff and backpack full of various supplies were resting against one of the walls. The room was small and spartan, with the only furniture present being the bed she was in, the chair, a dresser, and a simple wooden desk.

 _Where am I? Last thing I remember, I was in those weird ruins,_ Estelle wondered as she changed back into her regular outfit of thigh-high hiking boots, compression shorts and tank top, finger-less gloves, and a white-and-orange dress. _I was fighting a huge horde of devils with…oh no…_

"Joshua?" Estelle screamed at the top of her lungs as she shoulder-checked the door to her room and ran into the hallway. "Joshua! Where are you?"

"Excuse me, young lady, but you are making a racket," a nun said as she walked towards Estelle. "Please stop disturbing the patients and make your way back to your quarters. You'll heal much better if you rest."

"Heal? But I'm perfectly fine!" Estelle objected. "Anyway, have you seen a young man around? He's got a head full of dark hair, amber eyes, and usually wears a white jacket and dark pants."

"You were found unconscious near the Hamlet's entrance, so we still need to give you a formal diagnosis before you can sign yourself out," the nun said. "And I'm afraid no one with that description has ever passed through the sanitarium."

"All right, just get it over with," Estelle said impatiently as she followed the nun towards an examination room. As expected, Estelle was given a clean bill of health and was allowed to go free. She pushed open the sanitarium's heavy wooden doors and found herself in a small village covered by what seemed like an eternal twilight, haunted by a foreboding sense of impending doom. Unlike the inhabitants of her home town of Rolent, the citizens seemed to be suffering from some kind of perpetual lethargy and melancholy. Save for a select few structures that seemed to serve as public spaces or military barracks, most buildings were in varying stages of disrepair.

 _Okay, this village doesn't seem that big,_ Estelle thought as she looked around for a good place to start searching. _Hey, that building kind of looks like a Guild Branch!_

Estelle immediately took off towards the Guild, noticing that the symbol above the door was two crossed swords behind a shield rather than the Bracer Guild's supporting gauntlet. She flung the door open and looked around inside. Instead of the intimately familiar set up of a receptionist's desk and notice boards full of requests, the main floor was simply a wide-open space filled with sweating warriors of various calibres battling an army of training dummies. The entire setup reminded Estelle of those dojos Zin always talked about. Estelle decided to talk to the nearest person, a heavy-set one-eyed man wearing full plate mail and wielding a heavy mace and shield.

"Excuse me, is there a receptionist or someone I can talk to?" Estelle asked him, raising her voice to be heard above the din. "I'd like to register with the Guild here."

"New meat for the grinder, huh? Not sure what you mean by 'register'. We simply come and go as we wish," he replied. Resting his mace on his shoulder, he peered at her with his single eye. "And we don't have a receptionist here either, just instructors volunteering their time to impart some sorely needed wisdom for some extra pieces of gold."

"You didn't have to phrase it that way, you know. But yes, I'm pretty new here, and by 'pretty new' I mean 'woke up here 10 minutes ago without a clue how I got here'," Estelle said. "Anyway, this place isn't actually part of the Bracer Guild, is it? Have you seen a young man named Joshua by any chance? He's about as tall as me, thin muscly build, dark hair, and amber eyes."

"A Bracer Guild? That sounds more like a blacksmith to me," the one-eyed man said. "And I can't help you with this Joshua fellow either. A lot of people train here, and if someone like him came here before, I would have known already."

Feeling frustrated, Estelle thanked him before turning on her heel and leaving. After exiting the Guild, she took out what seemed like an oversized metal amulet out of a holster on her waist. It was her trusty ARCUS battle orbment which allowed her to cast magic-like abilities known as Arts as well as communicate with other ARCUS users. She dialled Joshua's number but got nothing except static. Feeling frustrated, she then asked around several homes and a couple of other public venues before deciding to stop at the Tavern. It was somewhat run down, with scaffolding in various places on the exterior. As she entered, Estelle saw that the place was dimly lit with only a handful of patrons. A far cry from the livelier inns and taverns she had been to.

 _Ugh…that fight sure took a lot out of me._ She went up to the bar and found herself an empty stool, which happened to be next to a well-dressed man in his early thirties casually sipping a glass of wine.

"What can I get for you, miss?" asked the owner of the Tavern, a muscular, bald man with a moustache that reached all the way down to his chin. "Food? Drink? Or do you prefer the company of some…choice ladies?"

"Just some roast beef and potatoes plus a pint of beer, please," Estelle replied as her stomach rumbled again. "While you're at it, has a young man with black hair and amber eyes stopped here by any chance?"

"Hmm…can't say I ever saw anyone like that coming here." The owner scribbled down Estelle's order and passed it through a small window connecting to the kitchen before casting a glance at the rich-looking man sitting next to Estelle. "I doubt his lordship here has hired anyone matching the description either. You lost him or something?"

"Yeah, we were surrounded by these devils…erm…strange monsters while exploring some ruins," Estelle replied, causing the well-off man to glance her way. "The next thing I know, I was in the sanatorium and Joshua was nowhere in sight."

"Sounds like a bad run, then," the owner said with a hint of pity in his voice. "I hate to break it to you, girlie, but your boyfriend is probably dead."

"That's not possible! There's no way Joshua would go down that easily!" Estelle yelled. "When I find him, I'll drag him in here so you can apologize in person!"

"Whatever, it's not my fight anyway," the owner shrugged as he set down a pint of beer in front of Estelle. "The day he comes in here is the day I'll eat my words."

Estelle fumed as she downed a couple of gulps from the large mug. Although her dad had a decent collection of expensive brandy, and Schera never shied from exposing Estelle to her and Aina's drinking habits, Estelle still preferred a simple mug of beer to help take the edge off and knew her limits well. There was nothing like a pitcher of icy cold beer shared with Joshua over dinner to unwind after a hard day's work.

"You're not wrong, you know, about his death not being possible. I'm responsible for hiring people to go into the dungeons that plague this hamlet, and I don't ever recall you nor an amber-eyed raven-haired young man on my roster," the rich man spoke up while the owner was busy serving another patron. "Although the part about fighting monsters in some ruins does sound quite intriguing. Do tell me more."

Seeing her chance, Estelle took a deep breath and told him the full story. How she and Joshua were working for the Bracer Guild in Calvard, how they were responding to a request to search some newly-excavated ruins for an artifact, how they found themselves fighting for their lives against a horde of monsters they have never seen before, and all the way up to Estelle passing out when she touched the artifact, waking up in the sanitarium afterwards. Throughout her recounting, the rich man had a finger on his chin as if deep in thought.

"Hmm, I don't believe I have ever heard of this land called 'Calvard' before, nor am I familiar with this 'Bracer Guild'," the rich man said. "I suppose this does confirm your foreign nature. That term you use, 'Bracer', what exactly does it mean?"

"A Bracer like myself is an investigative and combat specialist whose mission is to protect the civilian population and maintain the stability of the land. We can take on any request, from helping retrieve lost objects to hunting dangerous monsters, as long as it doesn't violate the principle of keeping civilians out of harm's way," Estelle explained, reciting from her trusty Bracer handbook by memory. "And the Bracer Guild is simply the organization that coordinates our activities. I'm surprised you and that eyepatch-wearing guy never heard of it before. We're pretty famous all over Zemuria."

"And therein lies the problem. 'Zemuria' is another term I am unfamiliar with. If such a place exists, which I don't doubt it does, it is probably very far from this Hamlet," the rich man said. "That being said, I don't particularly care where you are from nor how you got here, but rather who you are and what you can do. Do you have any experience going into long-abandoned places not knowing what may lurk there?"

"Are you kidding me? That's pretty much what I do every week as a Bracer!" Estelle grinned. "And I've been to some pretty freaky places, like an ancient floating city crawling with things no human has seen for over a thousand years."

"I see, and what kind of skillset do you have?"

"Well, I like to hit things really hard with my staff," Estelle said, pointing at her weapon. "Joshua is more a speed and stealth kind of guy. I can also use Arts."

"Arts?"

"Yup, Arts. I can cast all kinds of spells with this bad boy here," Estelle said as she pulled out her ARCUS once more. "It's called the All-Round Communication and Unison System, or ARCUS for short. I can't explain the details that well, so I might as well show you when I get the chance."

"This has been quite an insightful conversation. In fact, I am in need of an 'investigative and combat specialist' such as yourself for a few…errands." Cogs turned behind the rich man's eyes as he stared at Estelle. She recognised the look; it was the expression many rich, powerful people got when wondering how best to make use of someone. "But first things first, I would like to see a demonstration of your abilities. Follow me after you finish your meal, I have a place in mind."

"Whoa there, aren't we forgetting something?" Estelle said. "We need to introduce ourselves first. I'm Estelle, Estelle Bright. It's nice to meet you."

"My apologies, where are my manners?" the rich man said. "I am the last among a line of nobles who rule this land, entrusted to me by a particularly unsavvy Ancestor whose depravity I have only begun to uncover. Until I can redeem this land from his crimes, I shall simply be known as The Heir."

* * *

**Leiston Fortress, Zeiss Province, Liberl**

Lieutenant-General Cassius Bright, chief of staff of the Liberlian military, tried and failed to hide the worried look on his face as he stared at the screen of the state-of-the-art orbal video conference equipment. The green-haired man on the other side was a reliable ally, which was why his report worried Cassius even more.

"It seems like Estelle and Joshua were somehow sucked into the artifact. We've brought it back to Arteria, and our people are working on reactivating it to get them out," Kevin Graham said. "It's like the Phantasma Incident all over again, except it's just the two of them as far as I know. I'm sorry, Cassius, I should have told them to wait until my squires and I could join them."

"Come on, Father Graham, don't beat yourself up too hard over this," Cassius said reassuringly. "Estelle and Joshua have grown a lot since the last time you saw them in Crossbell. They'll be able to handle themselves while your people work on the artifact."

"I swear by Aidios's name I'll get them out," Kevin said. "Anyway, I gotta go back to work for now. I'll keep you updated."

After the screen went dead, Cassius let out a long sigh he'd been holding in ever since Kevin called him about Estelle and Joshua's disappearance. Although hearing about it was the last thing he wanted, especially with the crisis brewing in post-civil war Erebonia, Cassius appreciated the fact Kevin called him as soon as possible instead of trying to cover up the fact.

 _Oh Aidios, please look over Estelle and Joshua while they are trapped in whatever realm this artifact banished them to,_ Cassius prayed. _Please…don't let me lose them like I lost Lena._

With the worried prayer completed, Cassius sat at his desk and debated whether to make a call or not. His adopted daughter Renne, who had been brought back by Estelle from Crossbell a couple of years ago, had recently begun her studies at Jenis Royal Academy as well as working a part-time job as the receptionist of the Bracer Guild's Ruan branch. There were also rumors about her volunteering with some special project that involved both the Epstein Foundation and the Zeiss Central Factory. Whether the rumors were true or not, Renne had a lot on her plate, and the last thing she needed was some distressing news about how her older adopted siblings went missing.

 _On the other hand, her being a receptionist means she would probably find out anyway,_ Cassius thought. _I doubt she'd look that kindly upon her adopted papa hiding stuff from her, especially with her experience with her birth parents._

His mind made up, Cassius walked over to the orbal phone.

"Brace Guild, Ruan Branch," a cheerful voice said over the headset. "How may Renne help you today?"

"Renne, it's me," he said. "There's something you need to hear."

"Dad? It's about Estelle and Joshua, isn't it?" Her voice took on a more worried tone. "The guild in Calvard…they called a few minutes ago. Estelle and Joshua…they disappeared."

"I'm so sorry, Renne. I wish..."

"It's okay, dad. Estelle and Joshua are strong, just like Renne should be too." Renne's voice grew shakier. "Renne won't cry while she's working, Renne has to be strong for those who need the Guild's help."

"I know how you feel. Please make sure not to bottle it up inside you. You've got Carna with you at the Guild, plus your classmates at Jenis. Feel free to talk to them, and me, anytime you want," Cassius said, trying his best to offer advice. "I'll make sure to call you when they're found, all right?"

"Thanks, dad." Renne's voice dropped to a hush. "I…I love you."

"I love you too," Cassius said as he hung up. When the call ended, he sighed.

 _Might as well let the others know too._ Cassius picked up the headset again and dialled Grancel Castle.

"Colonel Schwarz? It's General Bright," he said. "I need to speak with Princess Klaudia. It's a very urgent matter…"

* * *

**The Hamlet**

After her meal, the Heir had led her to the other side of the Hamlet, a weed-strewn field behind the blacksmith's workshop. There the curious 'Bracer', as she referred to her profession as, gave him a display of her skill with the staff as well as a most intriguing demonstration of her 'Arts'. Who knew something that resembled an enlarged version of a humble pocket watch could project fireballs or launch razor-sharp icicles?

"I must say, Bracer, I am quite impressed with your marvellous demonstration." The Heir smiled, knowing he had drafted one more foot soldier into his quest. "These 'Arts' will be a great asset in the days to come."

"Does that mean I'm on board?" Estelle broke into a smile that was far more genuine than anything the Heir had seen in a long time. "When's my first job?"

"Your enthusiasm is quite refreshing, Bracer. Report to the tavern at the break of dawn tomorrow. A hearty breakfast will be provided to you, paid from my own coffers. Provisions will be distributed to the party, and you shall receive further instructions then," the Heir told her. "You may spend the reminder of today as you wish, but I do suggest checking over your equipment and getting a good night's rest. This job will by no means be easy. Do not worry about room and board; I have already arranged a room at the Tavern for you tonight until more permanent quarters become available."

"All right! Thanks...uhhh...my lord. I'll see you tomorrow!" Estelle stammered. "One more thing: You'll keep up your end of the deal, right? About Joshua?"

"Of course. If there is even a sliver of information about your lover, I will make sure to pass it on to you," the Heir said, giving her a solemn nod. "Do have a yourself good night."

As Estelle walked back to the tavern, a shimmering blue ghostly figure appeared beside the Heir. He had long ago accepted the phantom's "visits" as part and parcel of his duty to cleanse the corruption that had befell his ancestral home. For reasons unknown, the phantom could only be seen by the Heir and no one else. A matter of blood relations, perhaps?

"Ambrosius." The Heir nodded at his ancestor in greeting. "Here to offer more sage advice and general commentary? Or do you have something to say about our new…'employee'?"

"She is different from the others. She may have been the recipient of several tragedies in the past, but her heart remains undarkened," Ambrosius said. "Make no mistake, underneath her cheery youthful exterior is a skilled warrior with a burning will as hot as the sun itself."

"What of it?" the Heir said, before casting a sorrowful gaze downwards. "I'm sure her enthusiasm will be snuffed out, just like the others."

"I have mentioned this some time ago, but long gone are the days when the sun shone and laughter was heard in the tavern. However, seeing her here brought me back to those happier times. None of your other hires has ever had that effect on me." Ambrosius paused as if deep in thought before continuing. "I do not say this often nor lightly, but I am quite pleased you decided to enlist her services. I look forward to seeing how this mystery girl will handle the horrors that will inevitably come her way."

* * *

**Tavern, Following Morning**

Estelle found herself sharing a table with The Heir, a man in a suit of armor that was less bulky than the one worn by the eyepatch guy from the day before, a brooding man wearing a long coat, and a young woman with chin-length brown hair and wild eyes wearing a full-body cloak that covered everything except her face. Several loaves of bread, five bowls of porridge, a large pot of piping hot tea, and a plate full of smoked meat sat on the table. Before everyone started eating or speaking, the armored man said a quick prayer of thanks to The Light.

 _I really need to ask about The Light later,_ Estelle thought as she dug in. _He's wearing the same symbol on his chest as those nuns at the sanatorium too._

"Everyone, this is the 'Bracer' I was telling you about," the Heir said. "I have decided to have her take Junia's place for this week's excursion. The Bracer's quarters at the barracks should be ready by her return. _If_ she does return, that is."

"Pleasured to make your acquaintance, o stalwart maiden." The armored man extended a hand to shake Estelle's. "I am Reynauld, and I am but a humble Crusader and a servant of the Light."

"I would hardly call someone who led an entire army against 'heathens' humble. Anyway, the name's Dismas," the brooding man said in a gravelly voice. "I'm a Highwayman, good with dagger and pistol. If you need a trap gotten rid of, I'm your man too."

" _Doctor_ Paracelsus, at your service. As my title implies, I am a Plague Doctor with a strong interest in…field work," the strange woman said. "My, my. What a healthy specimen you are, and a foreigner too! I would love to study your humors when I have the chance."

"Uh…right. This is a weird bunch you got here, Mr. Heir…I mean…my lord," Estelle said, wondering how exactly can Kloe keep track of all those titles. "Anyway, I'm Estelle, and I'll be working with you guys starting today. Now, what's our request?"

"Ah, yes. The reason we are all gathered here today." The Heir grinned. "Listen closely…"


	2. Purge the Prophet (1)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Joshua wakes up, while Estelle and company move deeper into the Ruins.

**???**    
  
Joshua Bright breathed in sharply as he regained consciousness. Instead of opening his eyes right away, he kept them shut and listened. His senses, honed by both his assassin training from his shameful former life and years of Bracer work, had gone beyond normal human levels. From hearing alone, Joshua discovered he was holed up in some kind of attic, there were at least four people in the house, an argument was brewing in the dining room downstairs, and there were footsteps coming up to the attic. Joshua's eyes shot wide open and first surveyed the ceiling before slowly turning his head towards where the sound was coming from. The trap door to the sparsely-furnished attic opened as an old woman wearing a simple hooded tunic carrying a basket came up.  
  
"Oh dear, you're finally awake!" The old lady smiled as she approached Joshua's bedside. "You must be famished and thirsty after sleeping for so long."  
  
"How long was I out for?" Joshua grunted. His throat felt dry, and it seemed he was wearing bandages at several places on his body. More bandages than necessary, in fact.  
  
"One of the farmhands found you a couple of days ago," The old woman said. "Wait right here, I'll be back in a moment."  
  
As the old woman went back downstairs, Joshua surveyed the attic again. The space was littered with cobwebs and wooden boxes of varying sizes, and the only sources of light were a crude oil lantern dangling from the ceiling and a window that let in moonlight. What concerned Joshua the most was the fact Estelle is nowhere to be seen. His clothes and gear were gathered in a neat pile by the bed he was in, and he was able to make out more words from the argument below.  
  
One voice was deep and rough, probably belonging to an old man. "I didn't ... any of this! ... third one this month!"  
  
"I don't give a shit!" The second voice belonged to a younger man and had a more malicious tone than the first. "…fella you found…will do…as soon as he heals."  
  
_Guess that's me,_  Joshua thought as he sat up.  _What am I doing on a farm anyway? Last time I checked, I was in those Ruins with Estelle. Where is she?  
_  
Joshua crept out of bed to look around, but there was no discernible trace of his girlfriend ever being in the attic. A creak on the stairs alerted him to the return of the old lady, so he swiftly climbed back into the bed.  
  
"Oh my, did something spook you?" she asked. "Getting all worked up like that is bad for your health."  
  
"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to," Joshua said as the old woman set down the tray on a box lying beside the bed. "Did that farmhand pick up anyone else, by any chance? I'm looking for my girlfriend. She's got long auburn hair tied up in twin tails, red eyes, wears orange and white, wields a staff, and…and has a smile as bright as the sun itself."  
  
"Ah, young love. That doe-eyed look reminds me of my husband when we first met. What I wouldn't give to be young again," the old woman said, chuckling. "But no, you were the only person we found in the fields. And you were so beat up too! What happened?"  
  
Seeing in no harm in telling an old woman his story, Joshua told her about how he and Estelle were investigating some strange ruins for an artifact when they were attacked by a large group of monsters.  
  
"Oh my? A 'Bracer'? Is that one of those 'gangs' young people are joining these days?" the old lady asked. "That damn lord, preying on young people who lost their way for his sick plans."  
  
"You're mistaken, ma'am. Bracers simply help keep people safe. We're as fat from a gang as you can get," Joshua said politely. "Funny you should mention a ‘lord'. I take it I am currently somewhere in Erebonia and no longer in the Calvard Republic? How did I get here?”  
  
"Oh, please don't be so formal with me, dear," the old lady said. "Just call me Mildred. And I’m afraid I haven’t heard of either of these places I've mentioned. As for your second question, the farmhand told me you weren’t there one moment then just appeared after a bright flash.”  
  
"Thanks anyway, Mildred. My name is Joshua Bright,” Joshua said, his brain trying to process the information Mildred she had given him. If she hadn’t heard of the two biggest nations in Zemuria nor the Bracer Guild, it could only mean he and Estelle were sent to somewhere else entirely! His heart raced and worrying thoughts surfaced in his mind about Estelle's possible whereabouts condition.  
  
“Joshua? Are you all right? You look like you had seen a ghost,” Mildred called out to him, a look of concern on her face.  
  
“Thank you for your hospitality, but I have to go. I need to find my girlfriend,” Joshua said as he sat up and started to get off the bed. The fact he could freely move around confirming his early suspicion about the bandages being superfluous.  
  
“No! Absolutely not! You'll just hurt yourself!” Mildred suddenly shouted as she summoned what little strength she had in her elderly body to try to keep Joshua down.  
  
“We are prisoners on our own farm, and the lord's foremen are our jailers. He has hijacked our farm and repurposed it for something sinister, and the foremen will put you to work as soon as they see you are well,” Mildred whispered in Joshua's ear. “Please stay here for a while longer. My husband and I are coming up with a plan for your escape.”  
  
“I see. Thank you for your warning,” Joshua said, finally understanding what that argument downstairs was about. “If you don’t mind, I would like to meet your husband in person to help refine the plan. I’m something of an expert in stealth...”  
  
Joshua trailed off, his eyes fixed on the window and the moonlight that filtered in. It was becoming brighter, and the hue slowly changing to an otherworldly shade somewhere between blue and green.  
“Mildred, the window. Something is terribly wrong,” Joshua spoke up again, his instincts screaming about imminent unknown dangers.  
  
Mildred let go of Joshua and walked over to the window, the moonlight far brighter and greener than it should be. She quickly glanced out of the window before turning to face Joshua.  
  
“Light have mercy,” Mildred said, a look of absolute terror on her face. “Take some crutches. We need to get you to the root cellar.”  
  
**Near the Ruins…**    
  
The Heir's task for the week was by no means simple. There was a particularly bothersome 'Prophet' leading a local cult that was harassing travellers and kidnapping people for unspeakable sacrifices. Estelle’s companions were part of a previous team sent to deal with the prophet, which resulted in a bloody fight and the mad seer's apparent demise, but they clearly weren’t as thorough as they thought. Provisions were gathered, supplementing Estelle's own supplies, and the team made their way to the ancient Ruins.  
  
_All right, I can do this. My job is to protect the people of this Hamlet,_  Estelle thought to herself as the team made their way down a forest path.  _Even if this 'Prophet' is a human being, I'll put them down if I have to.  
_  
Estelle reflected back on the first time she had taken a human life, how that jaeger had left her with very few options that didn't include the deaths of herself, Joshua, or the innocents the Guild had charged them with protecting. She was shaken after the fact, but she managed to overcome that episode of her life within a couple of days with Joshua's help as well as a phone call to her dad.   
  
Trying to distract her self from thinking about blood and death, she glanced up at the night sky, which was full of stars she didn't recognize. It was a good reminder she wasn't in Zemuria anymore.  
  
_Come on, Estelle. This isn’t too bad! New place means new enemies means new ways to test my skill!_  Estelle thought as she looked at the gradually brightening sky.  _I’ll find Joshua and we'll go home together sooner or later.  
  
Wait, it should be night time! Why's the sky…   
_  
As if they all thought the same thing, the team of four all turned their heads towards the skies above the Hamlet, where the light was apparently coming from. A bright red streak cut through the sky at dizzying speed towards a location a ways off from the Hamlet.  
  
"Wow! A meteor!" Estelle beamed. "Now that's something you don't see every day! Come on, make a wish!"  
  
While Estelle wished for a swift reunion with Joshua, Paracelsus scoffed at Estelle's superstitious childish outburst. Reynauld gave a small sad smile under his helmet as he reflected on the young son he left behind to campaign in distant lands. Dismas simply gave a small cough to catch the crusader's attention.  
  
“Heh, the lass sure is spirited,” Estelle overheard Dismas whispering to Reynauld. “Ah, the joys of youth. Wish I was like that again.”  
  
Estelle’s amazement soon turned to horror when she realized the Comet was going to land dangerously close to the Hamlet. It crashed with a resounding explosion, sending out a massive shock wave from the crash site. Even with the Hamlet between the Comet's landing spot and them, Estelle's team still felt the ground tremble.  
  
“People could be seriously hurt by that crash! We have to help!” Estelle tried to go back, but her path was quickly blocked by Reynauld and Dismas.  
  
"As much as I want to head there myself to investigate, we cannot afford to dally," Paracelsus said. "We need to continue our journey. If there is a need, his lordship will send others."  
  
The team finally reached the Ruins some time later. They found the entrance to the particular section the mad prophet was holed up inside, lit a torch, and skulked in. Even with the torch, the corridors felt narrow and oppressive, debris of all kinds casting unsettling shadows.  
  
"Watch your feet for traps," Dismas instructed Estelle. "Any time you see one, let me know."  
  
The group slowly and carefully made their way through the stone halls, looking for any enemies or anything of value. After salvaging a torch and scrounging some gems, they saw a motley group of skeletons guarding a door. Estelle saw two skeletons wielding swords and wearing only bandanas and half-rotted trousers, a large skeleton wielding a wicked-looking mace and wearing plate mail, and a fourth skeleton holding some kind of goblet and wearing fancy court clothes not unlike what the nobles in Erebonia wore.  
  
"Can't make a shot from this far," Dismas whispered as he crept between fallen columns, motioning the others to do the same. "We're going to have close in."  
  
_Reminds me of those skeletons I fought in Phantasma._ Estelle thought as she peeked at the skeleton crew from behind a stone statue.  _All right, I think I'm close enough. Let's see how tough these guys are.  
_  
She looked to her left and saw Reynauld with his sword at the ready. He noticed Estelle and gave her a quick nod. She gripped her Bo staff with both hands and took off on a sprint towards the enemy group.  
  
"Here I go!" Estelle grinned as she swung her staff, pulverizing the head of one of the bone soldiers. The re-killed corpse clattered to the floor in pieces as Estelle jumped back and avoided a blow from a bone commander's mace.  
  
"Onwards!" Reynauld shouted, producing a sacred scroll filled with all sorts of zealous accusations. "Behold the weight of thine sins!"  
  
A wave of holy energy erupted from Reynauld's scroll and scorched the surface of the bone commander's armor, causing it to melt in several places with a sizzling noise and producing a smell that reminded Estelle of an orbal welder. Seizing an opening, the bone courtier scurried around its leader and splashed wine all over Estelle.  
  
"What the hell is this? Gross!" Estelle yelped as she tried to wipe the foul mixture off her clothes. The scent of the badly-aged wine filled her nostrils and was making breathing difficult. "That's it! No more holding back! Dismas, cover me! ARCUS, activate!"  
  
Dismas simply nodded, firing a volley of grapeshot from his pistol while Estelle concentrated, summoning the orbal energies from her ARCUS.   
  
"Reynauld, Para, keep these bastards occupied!" Dismas barked. He slid to the side, dodging a mace strike from the bone commander that could have shattered his skull, and countered with a slash of his knife. "I don't know what our new friend is planning, but we need to buy her some time!"  
  
Reynauld let out a roar of triumph as he lopped the head off the second bone soldier.  
  
"Very well," he said, waving his crusading standard at the large, mace-wielding skeleton. "Unholy fiend, thy quarrel is with me!"  
  
Meanwhile, Paracelsus produced a delicate glass globe filled with corrosive blight and threw it at the two remaining skeletons. The projectile shattered against the bone commander's armor and splashed the green liquid all over it and the bone courtier. The two undead creatures hissed in what must have been a mix of pain and anger.  
  
"Eyahh!" Estelle thrust her ARCUS forward, causing a wave of fire to erupt between the skeletal commander and courtier. The Heatwave completely consumed the two undead creatures, turning the courtier into ash and the commander's armor into molten slag.  
  
"All right, we rule!" Estelle grinned and happily twirled her staff while Dismas looted the enemy's remains for valuables. Reynauld and Paracelsus looked at her with puzzlement and curiosity respectively as the group started moving through the dimly-lit hallways again.  
  
“Hey doc, will this wine hurt me or anything?” Estelle asked Paracelsus, pointing at the purple stain on her outfit.  
  
“It is rancid wine, nothing more and nothing less,” Paracelsus replied. “The acidity may burn a little, and being splashed will produce quite a fright, but there will be no other consequences.”  
  
Satisfied with the answer she got, Estelle thanked the plague doctor and continued walking.  
  
_These halls sure remind me of that creepy cult base in Crossbell,_ Estelle thought as the group made their way deeper into the ruins.  _The enemies are just as freaky too. Speaking of Crossbell, I wonder how Lloyd and his friends are doing…_  
  
The group soon arrived at a dimly lit corner. Dismas signalled the group to crouch and slowly make their way forward. Shuffling footsteps were heard from around the corner before they suddenly quickened. Seeing no places to hide, Estelle and company stood back up and readied their weapons. A green-hooded heavy-set figure wielding a wicked-looking cat o' nine tails charged around the corner, flanked by two normal-sized humans wielding blunderbusses.  
  
"Oi boys! Lookie what we got here!" the large brigand bloodletter bellowed. "More of that puny new lord's lackeys."  
  
"They got a real beauty with them too." One of the brigand fusiliers grinned as he pointed his weapon at Estelle. "What say we off the rest and keep her for ourselves?"  
  
The brigand bloodletter laughed as he cracked his whip. "My thoughts exactly - I call first dibs! Get 'em, boys!"  
  
"Damn creep! I'll teach you a lesson!" Estelle yelled back at the brigands. But these were real, living people, not corpses animated by some occult magic, and that meant she had to at least give them a chance to surrender peacefully. Even the worst villains deserved a chance at mercy, though nobody ever seemed to take her up on the offer. “Give up while you still can!"  
  
The brigand bloodletter simply laughed and let loose a rain of whips, causing the entire group to yelp in pain as fresh cuts opened across their bodies.  
  
"All right, we'll do it the hard way!" Estelle yelled as bleeding wounds opened up over her body. A glowing halo appeared at her feet as she held her ARCUS close to her, concentrating on casting the next Art. "Reynauld, Dismas, stick close to me and attack them from a distance! I got something in mind!"  
  
Reynauld kept his objections to himself as he and Dismas stuck close to Estelle. Seizing what seemed to be a moment of hesitation and cowardice, the bloodletter laughed as he charged forward, ready to whip the party once again.  
  
"Sinners, prepare to receive thy judgement!" Reynauld whipped out his scroll of zealous accusation, the burst of holy light singing the three brigands, but not before both fusiliers let loose with their blunderbusses, peppering the entire party with grapeshot.  
  
"What the hell are you doing, Bracer?" Dismas yelled angrily as he fired off a shot that struck the bloodletter's barrel-like chest. "Trying to get us killed?"  
Estelle said nothing and grunted as she thrusted her ARCUS-holding hand upwards, a phantom clock appearing above the entire party. The other three adventurers briefly looked up in wonder as the hands sped up and clockwork noises echoed throughout the cavern. While Estelle was used to the familiar effects of Chrono Drive, the others yelped in surprise as they felt their bodies and minds suddenly speeding up and the world slowing down around them.  
  
"Have at it, guys!" Estelle said. "Give them hell!"  
  
"Huh, I think I get what you're doing now," Dismas said as he nimbly charged towards the bloodletter with his knife. He deftly dodged the slow-motion whip strikes before carving a deep gash across the large criminal's chest. Paracelsus held a bottle of vapors in front of Reynauld's helm and had him take a deep breath, strengthening the Crusader.

"For the Light!" Reynauld yelled as he charged towards a fusilier and swung his sword downwards. The bandit held up his weapon in a futile attempt to block the sword as the strengthened strike struck singularly, cutting through his firearm and chopping him in half from head to groin. The surviving fusilier backpedalled as he frantically tried to reload his weapon. Suddenly, a phantom clock appeared above him and the bloodletter. As much as he tried to move back, the fusilier grew yet more sluggish. He desperately shoved the ramrod down the blunderbuss' muzzle to pack down grapeshot with powder, but Paracelsus charged towards him with a knife and made a precise incision on his neck. The bandit collapsed to his knees in a desperate and futile attempt to staunch the blood flow before he fell forward, unconscious and never to wake again.  
  
"Damn you, damn you!" The bloodletter swatted Dismas into a wall with his beefy arm and charged towards Estelle with his whip, a trail of blood appearing behind him. "Gonna have me some fun!"  
  
"Last chance, buddy!" Estelle readied her staff.  
  
The bandit bloodletter swung his whip, only for Estelle to intercept it with her staff. With a quick twirl, she wrapped the lashes around the staff and pulled the whip out of his hand.  
  
The bloodletter gaped at her. "Huh? How?"   
  
Reynauld jumped him from behind and struck the back of the bandit's head with the pommel of his sword, causing the bandit to collapse to his knees.  
  
Paracelsus quickly stepped in front of the fallen bandit and placed her knife on his throat, getting ready to put an end to his misery.  
  
"Wait!" Estelle cried out as she shoved the plague doctor aside. She then placed one end of the staff directly over the brigand bloodletter's head, ready to finish him with a downward strike.  
  
"All right, we got you fair and square. Why are you doing this?" Estelle demanded angrily while her three companions recovered and gathered behind her. "This place is full creepy crawlies and skeletons, and here you are skulking around padding your wallets by murdering and robbing instead of actually doing some good."  
  
"Stupid girl, do you think we care about 'doing good'? The original lord only hired us to teach that pissant Hamlet to know its place, and we took the contract because he paid well." The bandit chuckled weakly as the bloody puddle underneath him slowly grew. "When those damn hicks got uppity after that insane geezer put one right through his own mouth, we decided to pack up and find other ways to live like kings. The Hamlet and everyone travelling to it are just meat for the picking."  
  
"You can still redeem yourself, you know," Estelle said, pleading the brigand to see some sense. There was already enough evil in the world. “We're on our way to hunt down an insane cult leader who's been terrorizing the Hamlet, and you get to use your skills for good."  
  
"Don't make me laugh, girlie." The bandit's voice grew weaker. "We have no…reason to…help…"  
  
The bandit bloodletter's hoarse voice trailed off as blood loss finally caught up to him, and he slumped to the ground, dead. Estelle fell to her knees panting, exhausted and injured. As her own blood trickled to the floor and mixed with those of the dead brigands, Estelle felt nauseous and she gagged at the carnage that surrounded her. A new battle began to rage in her mind. One between her rational side, which told her that she did everything she could to warn them, and her emotional side, which lamented and recoiled at the deaths she was responsible for.  
  
"Your desire to grant them absolution is admirable in every sense, Estelle, yet some men are beyond salvation." Reynauld clasped an armored hand over Estelle's shoulder. "Other adherents of the Light and myself have attempted to grant these foul men clemency in the past, yet they were all met with rejection and failure. Do not blame yourself for their demise, for they have chosen the path of perdition long ago."  
  
"You…you're right. I've dealt with these kinds of people before. It doesn't get any easier, and I hope it never does." Estelle used her staff to push herself back to her feet, her mind calm once more. "A Bracer's most important duty is to protect civilians. If we need to take down a few dangerous people to keep ourselves and innocent people safe, then that's a price I'm willing to pay. A dead Bracer can't do her job, after all. Let's get patched up and get going.”  
  
Estelle pulled out her ARCUS once more and activated it, causing a glowing halo of runes to appear at her feet. Soon after, a refreshing breeze filled the dim hall and blew over the four. Wounds closed and bones mended and settled back to their proper places. While her companions were surprised by the efficacy of Estelle's healing Art, Paracelsus was shocked the most. Muffled hypotheses and questions were heard from under her mask as the group continued their journey, providing some much-needed distraction from the silent monotony.  
  
After settling on a comfortable pace and the return of silence, Dismas pulled ahead and came up next to Reynauld, gaining a little distance between him and Estelle.  
  
"The new girl sure is strange, don't you think?" Dismas asked. "It doesn't seem like anything here can faze her, and that strange device she's carrying is capable of sorcery not even an Occultist can dream of."  
  
"I concur, and while her sorcery does raise some questions, it also appears she is a heathen." Reynauld said. "I understand neither you nor the fine Doctor care about the specifics of theology, but I have noticed her invoking the name of some being called 'Aidios' in the same way laymen call on the Light."  
  
"You think she's a mole? Of the local cult or whatever the hell the boss's damned ancestor dug up? Maybe this 'Aidios' is the thing the cultists worship," Dismas said. "Her attitude and her skills are all too good to be true."  
  
"We have no proof save for her heathen religion, which I do admit I am somewhat curious about," Reynauld said. "My own judgement decrees her spirit and intentions to be genuine. Let us pray to the Light for wisdom over this matter."  
  
"Sure, whatever you say." Dismas rolled his eyes and fell back in line.  
  
Estelle had overheard the entire conversation thanks in no small part to her senses which were honed by years of Bracer work. She felt irritated about how little trust her teammates seemed to have for her. While her sixteen-year-old self would have started whacking the two with her staff, Joshua had taught her the importance of subtlety and nuance over the years. She made a mental note to talk to Reynauld later. Estelle was no missionary, but she figured she could at least cover the basics and convince the Septian Church wasn't some devil-worshipping death cult.  
  
After dealing with a couple more rooms which were full of skeletons, Estelle looked at the other members of the group. She wasn't as good as reading people's expressions as Joshua, but Estelle could still tell Dismas was feeling the strain judging from the way his eyes were darting through the halls and his slouched stance, looking for anything suspicious. Although Reynauld and Paracelsus' faces were hidden, their fatigue were reflected in the way they composed themselves. Her healing Arts could mend most injuries, but they couldn't cure afflictions of the mind nor fatigue. Estelle knew full-well the dungeon's oppressive atmosphere was weighing down on her as well. She had lost track of how long they were down there, only that they had been exploring and fighting for quite some time. They made their way into an empty room when Dismas suddenly told them to stay put and made his way to an exit on the other side. After a few minutes, the highwayman returned.  
  
"Good news: the prophet is holed up in an abandoned chapel down the hallway.," Dismas said. "Bad news: we're tired, and even the most brain-dead bone grunt can see it."  
  
"We might as well set up camp in here when we have the chance." Estelle said, stifling a yawn while making a half-hearted attempt to wring out additional wine stains on her outfit. "We've been on our feet for ages."  
  
"I agree with the Bracer's assessment," Paracelsus said. "Heading into the fight with bodies and minds unburdened by fatigue will greatly increase our odds of victory."  
  
"Guess that's settled," Dismas said. "Break out the firewood. We're camping."  
  
After the group set up their modest camp and huddled together in uneasy fellowship, Estelle pulled out a notebook and some ingredients she had brought with her as well as scrounged together in the ruins. After going through some entries in her recipe book, a light went on inside her head. Estelle took over the campfire and followed a particular recipe that had stood out to her. The end results did wonders in filling stomachs and raising spirits.  
  
As the campfire burned on, Dismas decided to set up tripwires with bells attached to deter any unwanted night-time visitors. Paracelsus approached Estelle with a jar full of leeches.  
  
"Pardon my intrusion, but it appears you have caught a sickness over the course of our expedition." She said to the long-haired Bracer as she took out some leeches and put them on Estelle's bare thighs. "Let them do their work, and you shall feel better upon waking."  
  
"So I wasn't just tired? Thanks!" Estelle smiled at the plague doctor before turning towards Reynauld, eager to get her planned conversation over with. "Hey Reynauld, got a moment?"  
  
"Of course. Is something the matter?" the crusader asked. "Ask, and I shall endeavor to answer."  
  
"Can you tell me about the Light?" Estelle asked. "I've never heard of anyone who worships it in any of the countries Joshua and I have been to."  
  
Reynauld was obviously taken aback by how upfront Estelle was about religion, but she didn't know why — she was upfront about everything. “Of course, that would not be an issue. In return, I would like to find out more about this 'Aidios' you worship."  
  
"Well, I only know the basics from Sunday School, but you have yourself a deal!" Estelle replied, allowing Reynauld to begin with an overview of the Church of the Light before getting down to the details such as their holy book, various hymns, different commandments, and the wars he had fought in the Light's name. Estelle listened on with genuine interest as he wrapped up with a story about his homecoming.  
  
"…and so, the Light gave me a vision that an evil growing here is far more threatening than any heathen army could ever be," Reynauld said, concluded his story. Estelle only then noticed that Dismas and Paracelsus were listening in as well. "Until that evil is revealed and defeated, I shall not return to my family."  
  
"Wow, that was amazing, Reynauld!" Estelle said, beaming at him. "All right, I guess it's my turn. I'm sorry I can't get into any details. A friend of mine knows far more than I do, being a priest and all that, but I'll tell you what I know."  
  
Estelle gave a quick rundown of the Septian church and their role in everyday life including education and medicine, what she learned about Aidios, and a history lesson about how the church brought humanity from her own world out of a period of darkness.  
  
"…and yeah, that's pretty much all I know." Estelle scratched her head sheepishly. "I'm sorry I wasn't able to tell you that much, but if my friend Kevin shows up, I'll send him your way."  
  
"Do not be troubled by your lack of knowledge, Estelle. I must admit, I was initially suspicious when I realized you are a heathen by my Church's standards," Reynauld said. "But upon hearing your explanation, however limited it is, I realize this goddess you worship is nothing like the foul heathen gods I campaigned against in the past. As long as you walk the path of righteousness, you are always welcome to fight by my side."  
  
"Thanks, Reynauld! I'm glad to hear you say that." Estelle smiled before opening her ARCUS and fishing out an EP charge to plug into it, refilling the device's orbal energy. She then laid down on her bedroll, allowing fatigue to swiftly overtake her and carry her off to the realm of dreams.  
  
Estelle found herself back at home in the bedroom she shared with Joshua, his former room had been given to Renne when she moved in. Under thick blankets, their pyjama-clad bodies huddled close together in the bed they shared. After the run-in with Luciola the Bewitching Bell, Estelle became more adept at distinguishing dreams from reality. Even though she knew Joshua wasn’t actually there, Estelle decided to enjoy the dream while it lasted.  
  
“Estelle...” Joshua gently muttered her name as he cupped her face with a calloused hand.  
  
“Joshua...” Estelle snugged closer for a kiss.  
  
“Estelle...” Joshua sounded more urgent.  
  
“Joshua?”  
  
“Estelle!” Joshua suddenly called out, except his voice was replaced by the deep gravelly voice of Dismas.  
  
Estelle’s sat up as her eyes snapped open, the ancient stone room coming into view once more. She blinked tears out of her eyes and turned to face Dismas.  
  
“That boyfriend of yours must have done a good job stealing your heart.” Dismas chuckled before continuing. “You were saying his name the entire time I tried to wake you up.”  
  
“Yeah, Joshua is something all right. Guess it’s time to be on our way?” Estelle said before standing up and stretching. Her inquiry was answered by a simple nod from Dismas.   
  
The group packed up their belongings and put out the last remnants of the campfire before continuing on their way. They made good progress down the hallway which was decided of enemies before stopping at the door.  
  
"Hey guys, mind if we wait a bit?" Estelle got down on one knee and took out a case filled with gleaming spheres of seven different colors. "I need to adjust my orbment."  
  
“That ‘orbment’...such a curious device...” Paracelsius mumbled under her mask as Estelle hummed a tune while sorting through her quartz before settling on a combination that emphasized healing and buffing her teammates. “The old fools at the university would all die of a stroke if they witnessed it in action!”  
  
"All right, let's do this," Estelle said after packing up. She kicked the door aside and rushed in along with the others and found themselves in a ruined chapel with three rows of broken wooden pews which were stacked several feet high to act as barricades. A ragged man with pallid skin and wearing a pillory stood at the far end, rambling about the return of the old gods who would snuff out the Light for all eternity. What disturbed Estelle the most was the fact he held two eyeballs in one hand, the bloodied blindfold he wore a clear indicator as to where the eyes came from. Shaking her head and knowing full well she may need to be the one to deal the killing blow, Estelle readied her ARCUS and got ready to cast. Soon after, flames caused by Estelle's La Forte art enveloped the entire party, filling them with vigor and strength for the battle to come. Paracelus then gave Reynauld another sniff of her emboldening vapours, allowing the crusader to strike with a strength far beyond what his limits would ordinarily allow.  
  
"So we meet again, heretic," Reynauld said coldly as he drew his sword. "Your ramblings will not save you, for I decree today to be the day of thy death!"


	3. Purge the Prophet (2)

**Ruins  
**   
The derelict chapel exploded into a flurry of chaos as the team of four scrambled to land hits on the prophet. While Reynauld was uttering curses at the unholy soothsayer and hacking his way through the rows of wrecked pews, Dismas took potshots at the enemy with his pistol. Further back, Paracelsus lobbed globe after globe of grenades at the prophet in an attempt to cover him in as much corrosive blight as possible to wear him down, and Estelle used her orbal arts to further strengthen Reynauld and slow down the prophet.  
  
"Was he this much of a pain in the butt last time?" Estelle asked as she cast a fire art to help burn up the rows of wooden barricades so Reynauld could get through.  
  
"He is indeed quite a resilient specimen! His autopsy shall be a fun one!" Paracelsus replied, her voice muffled by her beaked mask. "Alas, our Hellion is out on a vision quest. Our battle would be much easier otherwise!"  
  
"Whatever you say, Doc." Estelle was a little creeped out but she couldn't afford to get distracted. She got ready to cast another fire bolt when she noticed the prophet's outstretched arm, the disembodied eyes somehow turning in his bloody hand to look at Reynauld. Two pillars of red unearthly light shone on Reynauld and Dismas.  
  
"I see it! Something shall fall soon!" Reynauld said as he carved into the second row of pews, his previous bravado wavering somewhat. "Fiend, I shall weather your rain of masonry!"  
  
"Oh, great!" Dismas grunted in frustration as he took cover behind the ruined pews. "Here we go again!"  
  
"What's he doing?" Estelle asked, more than a little worried about Reynauld and Dismas.  
  
"A deadly parlor trick," Paracelsus replied. "The prophet is announcing which targets he's intending to drop the ceiling on."  
  
"What?" Estelle turned her attention to the companions ahead of her. "Reynauld, Dismas, get moving or take cover! You're gonna get hit!"  
  
"You think we haven't tried before?" Dismas fired another shot at the prophet, striking him in the chest and drawing dark gel-like blood. "The bastard just uses his eyes to track us!"  
  
Just then, the prophet's eyes glowed, and debris from the stone ceiling struck Reynauld and Dismas with pinpoint accuracy. The two grunted and tried their best to weather the pain, and Estelle winced as their plight struck a chord with her. Wasting no time, Estelle shook her head and instructed the two to bunch up together before casting Breath to heal them both, leaving the crusader and the highwayman good as new.  
  
"What's this? A new interloper in my sacred domain?" The prophet's eyes pivoted with a sickening squelch and bore holes into Estelle's soul. "Newcomer or veteran, it matters not. I see the souls and fates of all!"  
  
Estelle found herself frozen solid as the prophet's unholy magic drew out memory after memory and flashed them before her eyes. To Estelle's dismay, the more painful ones stayed for a few extra seconds before disappearing. Witnessing events such her mother's death, Joshua saying goodbye on top of Grancel castle, and the harrowing battle under the demonic fortress outside Crossbell left Estelle gasping and reeling.  
  
"Get…out…of…my…HEAD!" She gritted her teeth and charged forward. "Guys, come on! Let's take care of this maniac!"  
  
Her words filled Reynauld, and Dismas with renewed vigour and they continued their assault on the prophet. The Crusader broke through the second row of barricades leaving the prophet within sword tip range. Reynauld smiled under his helmet as he swung his blade, carving a trench across the prophet's hide, allowing some of the blight to seep into the muscle and bone underneath. Dismas was right beside Reynauld as he unloaded a point-blank shot into the reeling prophet's thick skull, causing the mad seer to howl in pain. His resounding cries, amplified by unholy magic, sent debris crashing down all over the ruined sanctuary. A pained scream sounded from behind Estelle, and she quickly turned around only to discover Paracelsus on her knees, tearing off her mask. Hacking coughs sounded from the plague doctor as bright frothy blood poured from her mouth onto the ancient stone floor.  
  
"We'll take care of this nutcase!" Dismas called out to Estelle. "Go help the Doc!"  
  
Estelle nodded and ran back to Paracelsus. With the severity of the plague doctor's wounds, nothing short of a Tearal, her most powerful healing art, would do. She took up position in front of Paracelsus before flipping open her ARCUS. Out of habit, she turned her head to check how Reynauld and Dismas were faring. The act, however, left her eyes open to the prophet’s own severed gaze. More visions filled her mind, and Estelle screamed.  
  
The prophet showed her only one thing: her beloved Joshua dying in various ways, from being skewered by Loewe's sword on top of Axis Pillar to him as an empty husk studded with crystals in an alien hellscape. Although the visions threatened to overwhelm her, Estelle took solace in the fact that none of the possible fates had ever befallen Joshua, and that they'd fight tooth and nail to make sure they won't meet their end any time soon.  
  
"We make our own fates, pal!" Estelle yelled as she shook the images out of her mind, her heart still racing from what she saw. "Your visions don't mean anything to me!"  
  
The prophet simply sneered as he thrust his arms upwards, invoking more debris to fall. Estelle heard a loud rumbling noise overhead and looked up only to see a piece of an arch on its way to crush Paracelsus. Time seemed to slow down to Estelle as she pondered a possible course of action. With the extent of the plague doctor's injuries, she would surely be killed by the fallen debris. There was simply no time for Estelle to cast a healing Art nor for her to carry Paracelsus to safety either. Estelle thought back to her mother's death, how the kindly housewife had used her own body to shield a six-year-old Estelle and sustained fatal injuries in the process. At that moment, she knew exactly what to do.  
  
_Mom…thank you,_ Estelle thought as she dove on top of Paracelsus, allowing the debris to strike her own body instead. The rocks cracked and crumbled as they struck Estelle's athletic frame, knocking the air out of the Bracer as well as cracking some ribs, making her cough up blood. Injured and despondent, Estelle briefly thought she would meet her end among the Ruins in the blighted landscape, never to see Joshua again.  
  
Briefly.  
  
Anger is power, and Estelle was fully intent on unleashing it. She was already frustrated at being sent to a realm far from friends and family. The prophet threw fuel on top of the fire by using Estelle's worst memories and one of her deepest fears against her. With a powerful roar and a clear mind, she shot up on her feet, shaking off the heavy rocks on her back. She took the time to heal Paracelsus and herself before turning her attention to the injured prophet, her burning red eyes boring into the disembodied eyes in his hand.  
  
"That's it! Time for some ultraviolence!" she yelled as she took off on a running start. “Here I come!"  
  
Estelle jumped up a short distance behind Reynauld and Dismas, making them briefly pause their assault to look up in wonder. She delivered a devastating blow to the prophet's skull, shattering what was left of his teeth and making him drop his eyes. Estelle aimed her boots straight at the eyeballs, crushing one them upon landing and kicking the other one away.  
  
"No! NO! Blasphemer, what have you done?" The prophet yelled in a mix of rage and panic while he tried to fend off renewed strikes from Reynauld and Dismas, greatly weakened by his bleeding wounds and the blight which burned through his corrupted flesh. Desperate like a cornered rat on the verge of being devoured by a snake, he called for help.  
  
"Come, o faithful! Heathens and acolytes of the False Light assail your prophet!" the prophet cried out as he scrambled backwards to try to get away from Reynauld, Dismas, and Estelle. A hidden door at the back of the chapel opened, spewing a menagerie of cultist brawlers and acolytes. Reynauld let off a resounding cry as he charged forward to meet the brawlers in battle while Dismas peppered the new arrivals with grapeshot, leaving Estelle and a rapidly retreating prophet.  
  
"Wanna see what I got?" Estelle grinned as she took off from a running start and jumped over the melee between Reynauld and the brawlers. Some of the cultists looked up at the strange young woman's demonstration of athleticism, only for the crusader to seize the opening and lop off their heads with one fell sweep of his sword. Estelle's boots slammed into the prophet's back, causing him to collapse onto the ground. He tried to get up once more, only for Estelle to knock out one of his arms from under him, causing the prophet to collapse again.  
  
"Too slow!" Estelle yelled before sprinting in circles around the prophet at a dizzying speed. His every attempt at getting back up was foiled by hits from her staff, shattering bones everywhere she struck.  
  
"Come forth, Wheel of Time!" Estelle called out as she landed blow after blow on the prophet, every hit stronger than the last. The crescendo of strength built up to a final decisive pummelling that caused even the stony ground to quake, obliterating the prophet's thick skull. His body soared through the air and crushed the last of the cultists he had summoned for help.  
  
The four adventurers finally had a moment of respite to survey their surroundings. Fallen rocks and ruined woodwork dotted the ancient chapel, littered with the corpses of cultists and their prophet. Estelle cast sad glances at the human corpses as she and the others walked towards the prophet.  
  
_What a waste of life,_ she thought as she turned her attention to the prophet's body, which still twitched as the remnants of necromantic magic flowed through it. _Still, with their ringleader gone, the rest will hopefully come to their senses._  
  
"We gotta do something about the big bastard," Dismas said as he searched the corpses for treasure. "He wasn't as tough when we fought him last time, and Reynauld even lopped off his big head for good measure."  
  
"It must be the work of those foul necromancers," Reynauld said. "If we do not take the time to dispose of the corpse, they will surely revive this heretic to be stronger than before. I dread to think how our third battle will turn out."  
  
"I've got an idea," Estelle said. She raised her orbment and a glowing runic halo appeared at her feet. "Strip what you can off of him and stand back."  
  
Moments later, a Heatwave erupted from the ground beneath the prophet's body, utterly consuming him. The gang stuck around for a few minutes and watched the flames turn the corpse into a pile of ash and charred bone.  
  
"Guess we're done here," Estelle turned around, sick of watching bones crackle in the grim pyre. "Let's get out of here and report to Mr. Heir."  
  
The other three trailed behind Estelle, backtracking their way back to the entrance. Some time later, they finally emerged, and Estelle took her first breath of fresh air in about a week.  
  
"Finally!" She grinned widely. "Now, to the Hamlet!"  
  
**Derelict Chapel**  
  
While Estelle and company made their way back to the Hamlet, a tall hooded figure flanked by spear-wielding armored skeletons strode into the ruined chapel. The man walked over to the pile of ashes that was once the prophet and knelt down, a clawed hand wrapped in eldritch tentacles examining the ashes. He let out a long cry of rage as he swung his claws about, scattering the ash pile and tearing through several skeletal guards. They could always be raised later.  
  
"Those ignorant barbarians! I cannot work with this…dirt!" His rasping voice rang throughout the room, resounding with dark magic. "First they slay my apprentices, and now they destroy my work beyond repair! No matter, I shall take care of that new lord's thugs myself."  
  
With that, the Necromancer Lord stormed off back into the lightless halls of the Ruins, seeking more tomes to study in order to prepare himself for the inevitable battle.  
  
**Hamlet**  
  
Despite her bright and sunny nature, Estelle still felt more than a little shaken after her return. She collected her pay as well as an additional sum referred to as “de-stressing expenses", was shown her bunk in the adventurer barracks the Heir had constructed for his hires, and wandered the Hamlet looking for some kind of outlet for her troubles. She first glanced at the Abbey but felt it wouldn't be right for a follower of Aidios such as herself to show her face at a building dedicated to the worship of The Light. Estelle wandered some more and discovered to her dismay there wasn't a creek or pond where she could cast her line and forget her troubles. She finally headed for the Tavern and found herself meeting the owner once again.  
  
"Welcome back. Dismas told me all about how you did," the owner said in greeting. "A warrior of your caliber is welcome at my place any time."  
  
"Thanks," Estelle said curtly. She ordered some food, her stomach rumbling the entire time.  
  
"I know that look. The bags under the eyes, the pale, haunted expression. Everyone hired by his lordship wears it after coming back from a run," the owner said, staring at her as he wiped a glass with a rag. "Luckily for you, my humble establishment can cure your ails. How about a few drinks with your meal?"  
  
"Just a pint of beer, thanks. I don't feel like getting drunk alone." Estelle was the only person at the bar. As much as she looked up to Schera for being a mentor and surrogate big sister to her and Joshua, the older Bracer's drinking habits weren't something Estelle was keen on imitating anytime soon.  
  
"A social drinker? I can respect that." The owner shrugged as he leaned closer to Estelle. "If you’re into that sort of thing, this tavern has a brothel.”  
  
"Nah, I'm good." Estelle bluntly refused. "The only person I'll ever go to bed with is Joshua."  
  
"That boyfriend of yours sure is something if you're this loyal towards him," the owner said. "How about taking a spin at the gambling hall then? We got cards, roulette, you name it."  
  
Estelle's eyes lit up at the mere mention of a gambling hall. She had gotten into games of chance shortly after Joshua's first disappearance and managed to improve her skills thanks, at first, to some "coaching" from Olivier (or rather Prince Olivert in his Olivier guise), then through practice over the years. Cards were an easy way for her and Joshua to stave off boredom during their time wandering Zemuria, and Estelle always made sure to hit up a nearby casino when she travelled for Bracer work. While Estelle was careful with her money, and her skill with a rod far surpassed her skill with cards, she still enjoyed the thrill behind pushing her Aidios-granted luck to the limit.  
  
She grinned. "I'm in."  
  
After finishing her meal, the owner led Estelle to the gambling hall's door and ushered her inside. Estelle coughed a little from tobacco smoke as she looked around at the various stations. The setup was fairly crude compared to the other casinos she'd seen, and there weren't any slot machines, but the basics were the same. A grunt of frustration caught Estelle's attention, and she saw one of the Hamlet's inhabitants storming away from a poker table. None other than Dismas himself stood left of the empty spot, while a man wearing a jester costume stood to the right. Two villagers were also there, the forlorn look on their faces clearly indicating they weren’t winning.  
  
"Oh, hey." Dismas nodded at Estelle. "Care to join us? Spot just opened up."  
  
"Sure, I'd love to." Estelle walked over and stood next to the highwayman.  
  
"This is the girl I told you about," Dismas said to the jester. "Estelle, Sarmenti. Sarmenti, Estelle."  
  
After the two shook hands, the dealer reshuffled cards and dealt them to the table's occupants, and Estelle chipped in her own bet in the form of some golden coins from her de-stressing allowance.  
  
"I'm glad Paracelsus decided not to join us tonight," Sarmenti said after looking at his hand. "She keeps shoving science into the whole thing, always rambling about probability and whatnot. Just sucks the fun out of the game."  
  
"Thing is, her scientific method means she's scary good at this," Dismas said. "The woman's gotten me beat more than I like to admit. Now, let's see what you got, Bracer."  
  
Estelle's pile of gold fluctuated in size between rounds but managed to grow a little overall. While normally a very expressive person, the poker table was pretty much the only place she could rein in her emotions. Having an ex-assassin as a boyfriend meant she got some high-quality education on how to conceal facial expressions. Still, luck was on Dismas' side that night, and Estelle left the table with the third largest pile of gold overall.  
  
"Not bad at all. What do you say we keep pushing Lady Luck?" Sarmenti said to his two fellow adventurers. "The night's still young, you know."  
  
The three of them gambled until the clock struck midnight, with Estelle making a marginal profit from her casino escapades. The three of them called it a night and headed back to their residence together before bidding each other a good night. And so she was left alone with just her thoughts.  
  
Estelle sat at her desk, the adrenaline and excitement from the gambling hall slowly wearing off. She took out her ARCUS and flipped open the cover, gently caressing the photo taped to the inner lid with a slender yet callused finger. The photo was taken shortly after she and Joshua returned from Crossbell with Renne in tow, and it showed Estelle planting a kiss on Joshua's cheek while he had an arm wrapped around her shoulders. Joshua had one of the widest smiles Estelle had ever seen on him while Estelle herself had closed eyes and a look of absolute bliss on her face. Another copy of the photo was taped inside Joshua's own orbment, a reminder of that happy day and a hope for even happier times ahead.  
  
Estelle reflected on the last time she and Joshua parted ways, when Joshua had decided he was being a danger to the Bright family just by being around. It took her and her companions travelling through the entire Liberl Kingdom and Estelle being kidnapped before she finally saw Joshua's face again. Even after escaping from that monstrous crimson airship, Joshua made one last attempt to leave Estelle for good before Estelle showed him the light and the error of his ways.  
  
_I know you're out there, Joshua. And this time, you're trying to find me too._ Estelle thought back to that moment on the beach, when she and Joshua had their first proper kiss and promised to each other they'll protect each other both as Bracers and as lovers. _Just hang in there. We'll see each other again soon and go home together._  
  
Out of sheer force of habit, Estelle found herself humming a tune. It was 'The Whereabouts of Light', an Erebonian folk song and Joshua's favorite piece to play on the harmonica. The gentle notes danced throughout the barracks, catching the attention of the other female adventurers who were bunked with her.  
  
Estelle gently closed her orbment cover and clasped the ARCUS close to her heart, two teardrops rolling down her cheeks as she hummed along, clinging to the hope Joshua was still alive. The orbment suddenly started emitting a gentle shimmering glow, and Estelle knew exactly what that meant. The combat link between her and Joshua, forged by the bond between their hearts, was described by a veteran orbal engineer as one of the strongest in Liberl if not all of Western Zemuria. The glow meant that Joshua's own ARCUS was active and resonating with her own. After Estelle finished her song, she opened the ARCUS cover again and planted a kiss on the picture, right on top of Joshua's face.  
  
_Good night, Joshua. Wherever you are._ And with that, Estelle turned in for the night, the late prophet's visions forgotten and buried in the deepest recesses of her mind, where they belonged.  
  
**Hamlet Residence  
**   
With his family estate nowhere close to safe for human occupation, the Heir resorted to setting up his quarters in a small house which had lain unused for quite some time. In a makeshift office, he examined the preservative-filled jar on his desk. Paracelsus managed to salvage the late prophet's eye, the one that wasn’t crushed to a pulp by Estelle, and presented it to him as a grim trophy. After the much-needed break, he turned his attention back to the documents in his desk, sighing in annoyance at the ordeal of having to clean up after his relative's mess.  
  
"Alfred, what do you know about this Farmstead?" the Heir asked his family's loyal and perpetually-grinning caretaker. "Recent reports from passerby have been quite…worrisome."  
  
"The miller who administers those lands had approached the previous master some years ago, my lord," the caretaker replied, hands shaking as he rubbed them together for some semblance of warmth. "Like with many things, your Ancestor had managed to pervert it into another of his projects. While the worst monsters to occupy it have so far been men, I fear the meteor strike may have brought something far worse."  
  
"I see. Unfortunately, we cannot mount a full expedition just yet with the limited resource we have." The Heir rubbed his temples as he sighed in frustration. "Still, I suppose it wouldn't hurt to send some of the newer hires to test the waters. Alfred, draw up a list of recent arrivals so I can determine who shall go."  
  
"Does that include the Bracer, my lord?" Alfred asked.  
  
"No, she's far too valuable for this mission," the Heir said. "I have other plans for her."


	4. Collect Call

**Farmstead**

_My Estelle, you shine like the sun._

Moments after the root cellar door closed behind him, Joshua heard a loud explosion, and a quake shook copious amounts of dust from the ceiling. Mildred told him to stay put, saying something about needing to check on her husband.

_The sun is a star._

Minutes later, there were panicked cries from above. Joshua heard Mildred’s voice among them.

_The stars are Estelle._

Hours later, there were screams of horror. Always about the same thing: crystals. Mildred never returned.

_The time I spent with you was the happiest I will ever have._

Days later - maybe months or even years - Joshua finally emerged from the root cellar. The ruins of the farmhouse were bathed in eerie blue light, with no soul in sight. While he had appropriated some of the food in the cellar for himself, Joshua never felt hunger. Strange.

_There is no time._

Time meant nothing to him anymore as he skulked around the ruined farm, trying to find a way out. Sometimes he would end up at another farm building. Sometimes he would end up back where he started, at the root cellar. Sometimes he would end up in places that he couldn't even name, could barely even make sense of. But never did he find any place that seemed like an exit.

_I will never be happy._

A voice called out. “Joshua, it’s been a while.” A familiar face framed by silver hair, long coat, sword in left hand. An echo of the dead trapped forever.

_My Estelle, where are you?_

**Hamlet Residence**

_Well, that’s enough paperwork for the day._ _Planning both the expeditions and the reconstruction of the Hamlet is tiring work,_ the Heir thought as he tucked away the last of his papers into his desk’s drawers. He drew back the curtains and peered out the window, only to be greeted by near-total darkness with moonlight and the sporadic oil lantern illuminating the Hamlet’s public spaces. A far cry from the glowing streets of the city.

 _Guess I worked late again. No rest for the weary, I suppose._ The Heir yawned as he made his way to the door that connected his office to the bedroom. He opened the door, only to be greeted by the shimmering blue phantom of his ancestor Ambrosius.

“Good evening,” the Heir said. “I suppose you have some important news for me?”

Ambrosius said nothing and simply made his way over to the Heir’s desk, examining the glass jar containing the late prophet’s eye. He rubbed his chin, deep in thought, before gesturing at the Heir’s office chair as if instructing his younger relative to sit back down.

“Now that your motley militia has vanquished the prophet, I suppose I should enlighten you in regard to that recently-deceased opponent. Excavations beneath the manor were well underway when a particularly ragged indigent arrived in the Hamlet. This filthy miscreant boasted an uncanny knowledge of my ambitions and prognosticated publicly that, left unchecked, I would soon unleash doom upon the world.

“This raving creature had to be silenced. But doing so proved maddeningly impossible. How had he survived the stockades, the icy waters, and the knives I delivered so enthusiastically into his back? How had he returned, time and time again, to rouse the townsfolk with his wild speculations and prophecies?

“Finally, resigned to his uncommon corporeal resilience, I lured him to the dig. There, I showed him the THING and detailed the full extent of my plans. Triumphantly I watched as he tore his eyes from their sockets and ran shrieking into the shadows, wailing maniacally that the end was upon us all.”

The Heir sat in stunned in silence for a few seconds, pondering the sudden revelation he had received. With shaking hands, he retrieved a bottle of whiskey from the drawer, poured himself two drams, and swiftly ingested the drink with a sharp tilt of the glass. He exhaled violently from the burning feeling in his throat before speaking.

“That prophet, he was an innocent man before you corrupted him with that ‘damnable portal of antediluvian evil’?” the Heir said, quoting the letter which had summoned him back to the Hamlet in the first place. “And his leadership of the cult was _your_ doing? You hid this from me. Why?”

“I warned you when you first arrived, did I not? ‘In time, you will know the tragic extent of my failings.’ The prophet was not my first ’achievement’ nor my last. While his defeat is a significant milestone, there will be other obstacles. As victories mount, so too will resistance,” Ambrosius explained.

“Then tell me about the others, damn it! Tell me about those ‘obstacles’ and ‘resistance’!” The Heir shot up and slammed his fists on the desk, heart pounding and mind racing from alcohol-induced rage. He was beyond irritated by the fact Ambrosius had hidden the full extent of his depravities and left him in charge of cleaning up after that mess.

“All in due time. There is little utility and much despair if I revealed everything too early,” Ambrosius said. “Do have yourself a good night. The Hamlet is in your hands, after all.”

**Adventurer Barracks, Next Morning**

_Ugh…this is so gross,_ Estelle thought as she left the communal privy, making sure to firmly close the door behind her to prevent the smell from spreading. One of the most shocking differences was something she barely paid attention to back in Zemuria: running water. Patting herself down with wet towels was nowhere near as refreshing as a proper shower, and the less said about the privies, the better. Even something as simple as brushing teeth was a chore, and Estelle had to ration her toothpaste carefully so she wouldn’t have to resort to the strange herbal powders the others rubbed in their teeth every day.

After freshening up as much as she could, Estelle left the barracks to take a walk. The panicked rush to try to find Joshua on her first day, departing for the expedition the next day, and her utter exhaustion upon her return meant she never had the time to properly explore the Hamlet. Even in a land where the Bracer Guild didn’t exist, Estelle still stuck by the principle of exploring the location she was responsible for. Having tried to call Joshua on her ARCUS multiple times and being greeted with nothing but static, Estelle had to do things the old way.

 _If I walk around enough, I might meet someone who knows about Joshua!_ Estelle thought as she walked around the town square. It was relatively simple by her standards, a series of buildings surrounding the statue of some bearded man the inhabitants were very hesitant to talk about. Afterwards, Estelle ventured beyond the center. Despite how squalid and gloomy the place looked, there was more construction than she expected. _Guess Mr. Heir is trying to rebuild the place._

Overall, the Hamlet’s population couldn’t have been over a thousand, and the entire place made Estelle think she got sucked into a history book about the Middle Ages. The place reminded her quite a bit of some of the smaller farming towns she had been to, like Ravennue and Armorica, except for the complete lack of orbal technology. One curious thing she noticed was that the west side of town was always covered in some putrid stench no matter the time of day, despite the absence of a noticeable source like an open sewer or a garbage dump. _Guess I’ll ask the others about it later._

Aside from the town square and a handful of traders scattered about, the Hamlet had very little in the way of attractions. One thing that surprised Estelle was that the Hamlet was actually situated on the coastline, and there was a river along the outskirts. It was something Estelle missed the night before due to how dark everything was. Witnessing first-hand the extent of the Hamlet’s plumbing (or lack of) convinced Estelle fishing in the stream was the opposite of a good idea, but the harbor seemed more promising. As she made her way back to the town square, Estelle made a mental note to find a fishing rod. Estelle noticed the Heir was there as well, staring at the statue of the bearded man.

“Morning, Mr. Heir.” Estelle waved and made her way to the statue. Her greeting snapped the Heir out of whatever reverie he seemed to be in, and he turned to face her.

The Heir nodded. “Good morrow to you too, Bracer.”

“I didn’t get the chance to ask you last night, so I might as well get this over with. Any word on Joshua?” Estelle asked, her question short and to the point.

“Unfortunately, there has been no news about him. However, I have dispatched an expedition with specific instructions to be on the lookout for people matching your lover’s description,” the Heir replied. “In the meantime, I do ask for your cooperation and patience.”

“Thanks anyway.” Estelle sighed in disappointment before making her way to the tavern. The Heir’s reassurance eased her worries a little, but she knew she had to make plans to look for him herself sooner or later. After entering the tavern, she saw Reynauld and Dismas sitting at one of the tables and walked towards them.

“Morning, Estelle.” Dismas said. “Reynauld and I are having breakfast. Care to join us?”

“Sure, I’m starving.”

After skulking around eating hardtack and dried goods for nearly a week, the simple and rustic breakfast seemed like a feast at Grancel Castle, and Estelle gladly wolfed down her meal. After finishing their meal and some chatting, Estelle decided it was a good time to ask Reynauld about something he said back in the ruins.

“Reynauld, that word you used after we took care of the prophet. ‘Necromancer’, right? What does it mean?” Estelle asked, drawing raised eyebrows from her two companions.

“You…you do not know what a necromancer is?” Reynauld asked.

“No, I never heard of it before,” Estelle said, wondering if she had somehow offended him. She noticed Reynauld was starting to tighten his fist and shake. He took a few deep labored breaths before finally answering her question.

“A necromancer is a foul… _thing_ that raises the dead and manipulates them with their black magic. You should consider yourself blessed to be ignorant of them!” Reynauld said through gritted teeth. He then excused himself from the table, saying something about attending a prayer service. The fact he deliberately avoided mentioning necromancers as people did not escape Estelle.

“Dismas, was it something I said?” Estelle asked, feeling concerned and a little guilty.

“Somewhat. Reynauld has a strong hatred for necromancers and the undead in general because of an unpleasant event in his past, but that’s a story only he is fit to tell,” Dismas said as he got up. “We have all of next week off at the gambling hall. You coming?”

“Sure, I’d love to, but all of next week? Isn’t that too generous?” Estelle asked as she got up as well.

“It’s the boss’s standard policy for people who are particularly shaken after an expedition. If you ask me, a week is barely enough considering some of the shit I’ve seen. Come on, let’s just enjoy ourselves for now. There will always be expeditions.” Dismas then headed for the gambling hall with Estelle in tow.

The schedule Estelle set for herself over the next week was rather simple. She would either train with her staff or patrol the Hamlet during daytime, allowing her to keep an eye out for Joshua should he turn up. The evenings would be reserved for gambling with Dismas. Despite the welcoming distraction provided by the thrill of gambling and the Heir’s reassurances, her worry for Joshua’s safety grew day after day. Whenever she spoke to the Heir during the week, he didn’t have any new leads – in fact he was even rather dismissive at times. There was still no luck raising Joshua on the ARCUS either, despite the occasional combat link-induced resonance that proved he was alive and somewhere nearby. Deep down, Estelle knew Joshua would have already found his way to the Hamlet if he was able to, so something was definitely wrong. Estelle decided that if the Heir still didn’t have leads by the time the other expedition had returned, she would go look for him herself just like a couple years ago.

As the week neared its end, Estelle started to talk to more people around the Hamlet, including her fellow adventurers, during her self-directed patrols. They were able to provide insights into how dangerous the surrounding areas were. One of the townsfolk, a survivalist who lived in a tent on top of a cliff overlooking the Hamlet, even gave Estelle a crude handmade map of the area. A search plan began to form inside Estelle’s head, and she decided to confront the Heir over the weekend once the other expedition had returned.

He proved easy to find, as he was once again at the statue of the old man with Paracelsus, debriefing a group of adventurers who seemed to have just returned from an expedition. As Estelle got closer, she could make out snippets of the conversation, and they all seemed to be carrying sacks full of some strange blue crystal.

_“That Farmstead is cursed, I say!”_

_“…fiends from a madman’s nightmare!”_

_“...nothing but crystal-studded husks!”_

_“…an old colleague would be interested in these…”_

The group began to disperse upon Estelle’s arrival, leaving only her and the Heir who seemed deep in thought as he examined a sample of the crystal they had brought back.

“Mr. Heir, we need to talk. It’s been two weeks since I showed up, and the other expedition just came back empty handed. I’d say that’s plenty of time to find even a small clue about Joshua,” Estelle said. The Heir looked up at her and sighed deeply before continuing.

“You are a persistent one, Bracer. Unfortunately, I still have no leads. I do not know how quickly word travels back at your home, but here they only move as swiftly as the horses or the pigeons that carry them,” the Heir said, clearly annoyed.

“It can’t take that long for you to find him! I don’t really know how to explain this, but I have a feeling he’s alive and not that far from here!” Estelle pulled out her ARCUS. “It keeps doing this…thing which wouldn’t be possible if Joshua’s dead or far away.”

The Heir stared at Estelle’s device, deep in thought once more, and ignored her attempts to rouse him from his contemplative state. After a minute or so, he motioned her to follow him to his office where he pulled out a map that was more detailed than what the survivalist had given her

“This is the estate I inherited. Aside from this Hamlet and some nearby farms, the majority of the region is rife with dangers, from brigands to other, more arcane, horrors. Even the old road that leads to the Hamlet is not safe,” the Heir explained.

“So, what? It’s the same way back in Zemuria. Even the major roads have monsters prowling nearby. Hunting down the truly dangerous ones is one of the things we Bracers do.”

“You do not understand, do you? If your lover is in this region and alive, as you so dearly believe, there is no way for him to make his way here by himself, and an expedition will find him eventually. If he’s further away, then my connections in more distant regions will inform me once he has been sighted.” The Heir said. “In either case, you need to be patient and carry out your tasks as I assign them. And if he’s dead…”

“Joshua is not dead, damn it!” Estelle suddenly shouted, cutting him off. The mere mention of the possibility of his demise, coupled with her growing worry, caused her temper to erupt. “Why can’t I just grab a few people who are sitting around and go look for him myself?”

“Overconfidence is a slow and insidious killer, Bracer! Have you not seen the number of headstones in the cemetery? Far too many adventurers are buried there! Some of them were beset by misfortune, others had died valiantly, yet even more end up there simply because they falsely believed they were ready for the horrors that claimed their lives! What good will you be to your lover if you end up there? And I assure you there will be no others to join your fool’s errand.”

“I’m not like the others! I've got several years of fights and monster hunting under my belt, plus I’ve been to worse places than some gloomy countryside. Joshua is out there, trying to find me too! What kind of girlfriend and Bracer would I be if I just sit around waiting for leads?” Estelle retorted.

“I see there is no convincing you to give up this idea, then. Very well, you have one week from now to find your lover by yourself. If you do not return by then, I will assume you are dead. If it helps, an expedition is leaving for the Cove this week. As with all expeditions since your arrival, I have already instructed them to look for your lover. If you wish, you can rendezvous with them should you head there, but I’ll not spare others for this foolish endeavor.” The Heir then gave Estelle a smaller copy of the region’s map and ushered her out. “Now leave.”

 _Guess I better get to work. Hold on, Joshua. I’m coming,_ Estelle thought as she sprinted back to the barracks to gather her supplies. At her desk, Estelle pulled out her ARCUS and her quartz case to try to figure out the best setup for a solo run. As she tweaked her quartz set up, she realized something.

 _Wait a minute, my ARCUS should be at a full charge by now! It’s been a week since I got back!_ Estelle emptied her backpack and took inventory of her supplies, focusing on counting how many EP charges she had left.

_Think, Estelle, think! Orbments should recharge slowly on their own, usually getting back to full power after a good night’s sleep. That could only mean there’s no orbal energy at all here! Guess I can’t just buy EP charges either. This is bad, but not terrible. It’s just like the Orbal Shutdown Phenomenon back in the day, and I made it through that in one piece. Plus, my ARCUS still works, I just can’t use Arts that often. Okay, Estelle, you got this._

She ultimately decided on a quartz set up that boosted her speed, endurance, and strength as well as allowing her to cast healing Arts. Among her setup was Ingenuity, a quartz that used the motion of her own body to recharge her ARCUS’s orbal energy. In her mind, that struck a good balance between fighting ability and energy conservation. Having finished taking inventory, Estelle then finalized her course of action. She would follow along the old road first to see if Joshua was making his way down, then she would cut through the Weald for the Cove to try to find that week’s expedition and search those seaside caves together. While the Heir’s domain seemed large, Estelle figured she could always head out on her own some other week if Joshua didn’t turn up right away.

After quickly running to the general store to buy more supplies, Estelle followed the map and set out on the old road, lighting a torch to help her see better. As she walked along the old road, Estelle noticed just how lifeless the forest seemed. Gigantic mushrooms infested every tree, seemingly draining whatever nutrients the tree’s roots could draw from the corrupted soil. The familiar sound of birdsong was completely absent, replaced by the chirping of insects, distant growls, and the occasional shuffling foliage.

 _Man, this place is way spookier than Mistwald,_ Estelle thought as she walked along the old road, looking for any signs of Joshua. She had barely ventured beyond the confines of the Hamlet and the place was already giving her the creeps. Still, she had to press forward for Joshua’s sake. She was barely twenty minutes out of the Hamlet when Estelle noticed the growling had stopped, and the chirping bugs disappeared soon after. Her Bracer-honed senses told her something was extremely wrong, and she immediately readied her staff and scanned her surroundings. The forest was silent like a tomb, with no traces of life as far as the eye can see. What little sunlight that had managed to trickle through the thick clouds and the canopy cast long shadows all around Estelle. An unseasonal chill shot up her spine, and a being sprung up from the dirt road in front of her in the blink of an eye.

The thing in front of her was shaped like a human and dressed like one, but it was no human being. For starters, it was far too tall. The thing’s head, an exposed human skull, was wreathed in blue flames and rattled unnaturally in its cage, the only movement from its otherwise still body. While it had empty sockets instead of living eyes, Estelle somehow knew it was staring at her. It wore a thick yellow coat that reached where its feet would be, leaving only the creature’s skeletal hands and ghastly skull exposed.

Estelle had fought otherworldly enemies before, but only in the illusory realm of Phantasma and isolated areas that some of her allies described as having active higher elements. She didn’t know the details behind their explanation, but she knew that the thing which stood in front of her was something that shouldn’t be roaming the land of the living.

The creature snapped up its right arm, allowing the coat to open up slightly. Several mummified heads, glued together by necrotic flesh, sprung from the opening in the creature’s jacket, their glowing eyes wide open and mouths locked open in soundless screams. Three of the heads pushed forward, their severed spines trailing behind them like strings on a macabre balloon, and came to a floating stop in front of the creature while the remainder withdrew into its jacket. By that point, every fiber in Estelle’s being yelled at her to run away while she still could before her own head joined the twisted collection.

“Sweet Aidios!” Estelle yelped in horror as a spectral body suddenly formed around one of the heads. Its knife slashed at Estelle, who barely recovered from the shock in time to block it with her staff as she backpedaled. She swung her staff at the severed head, caving in the skull, but it simply kept coming and slashing at her, joined by its brethren. While she was distracted, a spectral body formed around the third head and raised its mace. A bolt of unholy lightning struck Estelle, shocking her and forcing her to her knees. Its master dashed forward and, in a twisted mockery of showmanship, threw open its jacket in full, revealing its entire collection.

Mummified heads, all locked in expressions of pain and horror, formed the creature’s body and lined the interior of its coat. All of them stared at Estelle with wide glowing eyes as if trying to bore a hole in her soul and screamed as one. The shrieks of the damned echoed down the old road and through the trees, overwhelming Estelle’s senses and causing blood to trickle from her ears. The sight of the writhing disembodied heads, piled high and cloaked in malice, shook Estelle to her very core, yet she was unable to block her ears or look away because of her paralyzed state.

 _Aidios! Mom! Anyone! Help me!_ Estelle prayed in desperation as she tried to get her body moving again. The spectral knifeman with the damaged skull charged at her, and Estelle summoned all her strength to dodge to her left. The phantom knife felt just as sharp as a real one as it slashed her right flank, carving a deep gash and causing blood to flow freely. Estelle shrieked in agony, but the pain and motion was what she needed to finally start moving again properly. It charged again, followed closely by its healthier brethren, but Estelle was ready. She roared and batted away the knife arm before spinning her entire body to put enough force behind her staff to pulverize the skull. Finally, the phantom knifeman was down for good. As she got into position to counter the second knifeman, another skull floated free from the tall creature’s coat and replaced the fallen knifeman.

 _Crap! I’ll never get away at this rate! I don’t even have an opening to use Arts!_ She parried a knife strike before thrusting her staff forward right into the middle of the second knifeman’s face, caving it in and causing the entire head to dissolve into ash. Yet another skull floated free from its master’s heavy jacket while the creature simply stood in the back of the fray, watching her.

 _Wait a minute, it’s trying to wear me down! For all I know, that thing has thousands of heads_! As horrified realization dawned, Estelle backpedaled in an attempt to gain breathing room only for the three heads to attack at once. Their master floated closely behind, observing the action. A knife slashed out. She blocked. A second knife stabbed towards her. She dodged.  But that put her right in the path of the phantom mace, which struck her shoulder with a resounding crack. Estelle screamed, falling to the ground. Another knife was already scything down towards her. She quickly rolled to her side, wincing from the pain in her shoulder and getting dirt in her wound, and used her staff to push herself to her feet.

With mounting wounds and an endless supply of enemies, Estelle knew it was a fight she couldn’t win. She did the next best thing and pulled out a smoke grenade from her pack, primed it, and threw it at the spectral warriors who were charging at her. A thick white smoke erupted immediately, giving Estelle the scant seconds she needed to slip away. Her shoulder and the gash on her side needed to be taken care of, but any delay caused by a healing Art would give the creature the time it needed to catch up with her. The old road was an unfamiliar locale, so trying to hide would only open her up to ambushes, either by that creature or other parties. Estelle simply clasped a hand tightly over the bleeding wound on her side and hobbled back to the Hamlet.

Relief hit Estelle as she reached the Hamlet after a trip that felt like it took hours. A member of the town guard rushed to her side and guided her to the sanitarium’s medical ward, where she was finally able to cast a healing Art on herself, away from the prying eyes of the Hamlet’s residents.

 _Isn’t this the same room I woke up in? Great, just great,_ Estelle thought as she laid in bed, staring at the bare ceiling. She soon heard a knock on the door.

“Are you awake, Bracer?” the Heir called from the other side, a hint of concern in his voice. “We need to speak to you.”

“What is it?” Estelle asked in return, and the door opened. The Heir walked in, followed by Reynauld and Dismas.

“Reynauld? Dismas? Why are you guys here too?” Estelle asked.

Dismas shrugged. “We were the ones who accompanied the boss here a year ago, so I guess we’re the two most senior adventurers in the Hamlet.”

“Due to their seniority, they have become trusted advisors for all things related to expeditions and adventurers, including yourself,” the Heir continued. “Look, I’m not here to gloat about your poor decision, but I do hope you now understand how unwise it is to venture off on your own.”

“How’re you holding up, lass? They said you were in pretty rough shape when you came in,” Dismas asked, and Estelle quickly recounted her encounter with the creature on the old road.

“You ran into the _Collector_?” the three of them asked in unison, with equal degrees of surprise in their voices.

“Is that what the thing is called? What the hell even is that thing?” Estelle asked.

“While my ancestor has a ledger of the various foes that plague this estate, there are no records of the creature,” the Heir said.

“The Collector is completely unknown even to those of us who do battle in the name of the Light. All we know is that it is an unholy creature who preys upon unsuspecting adventurers for sport and takes their heads as trophies,” Reynauld said. “We have slain that foul beast before, with great difficulty, yet it continues to plague this land.”

“Encountering it with four people is a nightmare all on its own, yet you managed to survive it by yourself. Damn, I’ve really underestimated you,” Dismas said. “In any case, glad to see you’re still in one piece.”

“I guess that Collector thing made your point for you, Mr Heir.” Estelle sighed in resignation. “As much as I hate to admit it, venturing off on my own to find Joshua is a bad idea here. I’m going to need your help if I’m ever going to find him, even if he’s somewhere nearby.”

“Very well, then. Once again, I pledge to use the connections and resources at my disposal to locate your lover. As this week’s expedition has already departed, I will not have anything for you until next week at the earliest. Do take the time to rest up,” the Heir said as he headed for the door with Reynauld and Dismas.

 _I’m so sorry, Joshua, but I won’t give up just yet._ Estelle laid back down, her eyes staring at the ceiling. _Maybe I’ll find you in the next expedition, or maybe a few more runs down the line, but I_ will _find you._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I recently got a beta, and they've been super helpful! One of their suggestions was to move the interlude to a few chapters down the line so the timeline flows better. So, I'm deleting the birthday chapter for the time being.


	5. Wandering the Weald

Estelle checked herself out the next day. The nursing sister who examined her kept mumbling something about a "miracle from the Light" at her rapid recovery from what seemed to be grievous injuries from the day before. After dropping her stuff back at the barracks, she decided to do a set of rounds around the Hamlet. Unsurprisingly, there had been little to no change since the week before, save for the fact that some of the buildings looked newer and there was more construction going on.

 _Wait a minute, I've only seen laborers out and about. Where's everyone else?_ Estelle's curious realization took her to the residential area, where a lot of the houses were either boarded up or completely ruined. As she walked between the houses, she saw housewives hurrying indoors at the sight of her approach, conversing men suddenly hushing and lowering their gaze at the sight of her, and the complete absence of children.

 _Okay, something is seriously wrong here. People in a village this size should be way friendlier._ _Back home, not even the threat of monsters on the roads has people this creeped out._ Being somewhat of a country girl herself (as much as Rolent can be considered part of the countryside), Estelle kept walking and smiling at any passersby she met. Save for some of the older people who seemed surprised but grateful at the gesture, the rest either avoided her gaze or hurried away. As she drew nearer to the west side, she finally saw a child, a small boy who couldn't have been older than five. He wore a ragged brown tunic, simple shoes and was playing with a carved wooden horse in front of what must have been his home.

"Hey there, buddy." Estelle smiled as she squatted down in front of him, who was frozen at the sight of her. "It's okay, don't be scared."

The boy just looked at her with eyes and mouth wide open, as if not knowing how to react to her presence. Estelle wondered if that's just how the Hamlet in general reacted to strangers. She held out her hand and waved at him to come closer. "Don't worry, I'm not mean."

The boy took a step forward, still gripping his wooden horse and wearing an apprehensive look on his face. He looked at his toy, then at Estelle, before slowly holding it out as if offering it to her.

"Oh, no. I can't take that. It's yours. My name is Estelle, and you can think of me as a big sister who just moved here," Estelle said gently. "And because I'm new here, I have some questions."

"Okay…" the boy mumbled weakly as he looked down. Before he could continue any further, the door opened and out walked an older woman.

"There you are! I told you not to talk to strangers, especially not someone who's working for that lord!" She grabbed him by the arm and dragged him inside, but not before turning around to glare at Estelle, then slammed the door shut.

 _Talk about rude! Guess Mr. Heir's adventurers aren't exactly popular around here, and I don't have the Bracer Guild backing me up either._ Estelle raised an eyebrow at the spectacle before she moved on. _I should ask Reynauld or Dismas about it later since they've been here the longest._

Her path happened to take her close to the graveyard. It was a simple affair: a small patch of land cluttered by headstones and surrounded by an iron fence which had seen better days.

Estelle decided to drop by and pay her respects. While the Heir's adventurers weren't fellow Bracers, she still felt a sense of camaraderie with the others. Bracer or no, those who died trying to purge evil and corruption deserved respect.

As she got closer, Estelle could clearly see a funeral service happening. It was a far cry from the elaborate, emotional ceremonies she was used to from back home. A priest from the abbey, a body wrapped in a shroud on the ground, what must have been a married couple and their young children, and two bored-looking younger men with shovels. A bespectacled bald man stood further back in the cemetery with a rake laying at his feet and watched the funeral. From where she was, Estelle saw he was covering his mouth with both of his hands for some reason. Estelle decided to keep a respectful distance and wait until the funeral's conclusion before going into the graveyard.

She watched the priest recite something from his verse book, followed by the two young men using their shovels to push the body into a pit, and finally the family walking away while the young men shoveled dirt to fill up the hole. As they passed the exit, Estelle saw vacant looks on their faces, even the children. Estelle made eye contact with the husband, only for him to quickly usher his family away from her. She wondered why they acted so callously towards what must have been a deceased relative, and why the dead had been roughly shoved into a pit instead of receiving a more elaborate burial. As she entered the cemetery, the priest nodded at her as he left. The grave fillers had finished their work quickly and hurried out without acknowledging Estelle, leaving her with the man covering his mouth. He looked strangely familiar. Estelle casually sidled closer, trying to be inconspicuous, and finally recognized him as the Hamlet's caretaker.

"Wait a minute, you're the guy we get our supplies and pay from!" Estelle said, "Alfred, right?"

"Indeed, Bracer. I am a loyal caretaker for the family, and a faithful servant to his Lordship and his predecessors. I bid you welcome to this place of the dead," Alfred said, his voice muffled by his hands. "How may I be of service to you?"

"Not much, really. I just wanted to come here and pay my respects to the dead adventurers Mr. Heir told me about, but I was hoping you can answer some questions first."

"By all means," Alfred said, then pointed at a section of the cemetery that had another fence surrounding it. "The portion allotted to adventurers such as yourself is that way, whenever you are ready."

"You saw that funeral too, right? Why were they acting so…" Estelle paused to think of the best word to describe the whole thing. "…callously? Those two men looked like they were just burying garbage, and the family didn't seem that sad either."

"It's the way things have been done here for a long time, young one," Alfred said sadly. "This Hamlet has been plagued by death and misfortune for so long, the people just…broke."

"Yikes, I know this place is gloomy and all, but I didn't expect things to be that bad," Estelle said. She wondered how many funerals had to take place in the Hamlet for its people to become so inured to them, as if they were just another everyday chore. "Okay, next question. I know I'm not from around here and all that, but why are most of the people here avoiding me? Some lady even told her kid to not talk people who work for Mr. Heir."

"The previous lord, my former master, was an utterly despicable man who caused essentially all the death and misfortune which I previously mentioned." Alfred looked down at the ground, avoiding Estelle's gaze and speaking with utter shame in his voice. "After he took his own life, the inhabitants were without a party towards whom they could direct their ire. Until His Lordship arrived along with the Crusader and the Highwayman, that is. Ever since then, he and all those who associate with him have been tolerated at the best of time and shunned at worst. It actually used to be a lot worse, when the locals would pelt His Lordship and his hires with rotten produce. I suppose the past year's progress in pacifying the region, however slow it may be, has accounted for something."

Estelle wanted to press further and find out what exactly the previous lord did, but hearing the pain in Alfred's voice made her think twice about the idea. Since she was stuck in the Hamlet for the next little while, there would be other chances to find out.

"Is there anything else you would like to ask? If not, I shall attend to my duties." Alfred moved one of his hands and gestured at the rake at his feet.

"One more thing, actually," Estelle said. "Why are you covering your mouth?"

"I suppose it was inevitable that someone would ask that question sooner or later." Alfred then dropped his hands to his side, revealing a huge toothy grin that stretched his mouth to its physical limit.

"I'm broken, Bracer. Broken beyond belief by the horrors I have witnessed over the decades. This is why my mouth is contorted to its present shape, even here where such a smile is seen as the pinnacle of disrespect," Alfred's voice quaked as he slowly reached down for his rake. "I'm afraid our conversation is at an end. I must attend to my duties."

Estelle nodded at Alfred and turned away, allowing him to begin raking away the dried leaves that littered the graveyard. She walked over to the section Alfred pointed out and scanned the headstones. They were all fairly simple: a person's name, their occupation, as well as when and where they met their end. Estelle found it surprising that none of the headstones listed a birth date, another curiosity of the Hamlet. None of them had flowers or any gifts laid in front either. Martyrs, unmourned and unremembered.

Estelle stood silently, taking some time to reflect on the close calls she and Joshua had experienced as well as her encounter with the Collector. Contemplating mortality wasn't on her list of favorite activities, but it helped to keep her grounded and humble.

 _Tomorrow isn't guaranteed, but it's not out of reach either. This is why I gotta keep practicing and fighting, so I can last long enough in this place to see Joshua again and find a way home,_ Estelle thought as she slowly got down on her knees, putting her hands flatly on her lap.

She thought about what Alfred had told her, about how the people were plagued with death and misfortune for so long that they just broke. _Even then, they are still trying to eke out an existence here. They gotta be pretty hardy to survive in a place like this. Seems like Mr. Heir is trying to do some good here too, according to Alfred, even if they don't appreciate him that much. I gotta pull my weight as the only Bracer here._

"Hey everyone, I'm not the best at speeches, just came here to say hi. Mr. Heir told me about you guys. I don't know any of you, how you came here, your hopes and dreams, or even how you died. I just know this: you all gave your lives trying to protect this Hamlet and make it a better place." Estelle addressed the headstones in front of her in a gentle hushed tone, pausing to look at the sky before continuing. "As the sole representative of the Bracer Guild, I promise I'll do my best to help keep the people here safe. I'm sure all of you would have made good Bracers too."

Estelle got up and made her way out of the graveyard, crossing paths with Alfred once more. He paused his raking and turned towards Estelle.

"You're one of the few people to visit them since they were first buried. Thank you," he said, and Estelle politely nodded back as she went on her way.

 _There's something that's bugging me. He said he's witnessed a whole lot of horrors, death, and misery over the decades,_ Estelle thought as she wandered the Hamlet some more. _He's the family caretaker, so couldn't he have done anything about it?_

* * *

 

The week passed by quickly, with Estelle either continuing to make her rounds around the Hamlet or training with her staff. The locals began to tolerate her presence and no longer hurry out of her way, and she started to train at the Guildhouse instead of outside after Reynauld pointed out that she was free to make use of its facilities as well. At the end of the week, the Heir told her she was being sent on another expedition.

Just like with the Ruins, the team and the Heir assembled at the tavern, enjoying a meal together before they had to depart. Aside from the Heir, the faces were all new. The first to greet Estelle was Junia the Vestal. Her hair and everything above her nose were obscured by the hooded habit she wore, and the habit itself had armor on top for extra protection.

"You must be Estelle. Reynauld told me about your exploits in the Ruins and your run-in with the Collector. I am blessed to take on this holy quest by your side," she said.

Margaret the musketeer was the second person in the group. Her long red hair was wrapped up in a neat bun, and she wore a tricorn hat studded with a large feather, expensive-looking leathers that seemed tailor-made for rugged conditions, and knee-high boots. Her equipment, including cartridges, dressings, a blunderbuss carbine, and at least two pistols, were carried in a system of pouches and belts that reminded Estelle of a more primitive version of a Liberlian soldier's webbing gear. Her primary weapon, a musket, leaned against the table.

She tipped her hat with a finger. "Good morrow to you all. I look forward to undertake this glorious safari with such bold companions."

Tardif the bounty hunter was the final member of the team. He was a man of few words, tall and solid and radiating an aura of dormant violence, like a sleeping bear. He was entirely covered with leather armor, reinforced with metal plates, except for his head; there he wore a fearsome helmet with dark, narrow eye slots. The only visible part of his body was his chiseled, scarred chin. An axe was slung on his back while a long coil of rope with a sharp hook at the end was slung on his belt. The only word he said before tearing into his food was a terse "Hey."

"The Hamlet will be hosting a conference for delegates who specialize in caring for ailments of both body and mind, and I believe it would be prudent for us to provide them with our own medicines to help supplement their equipment," the Heir began. "However, supplies in general are hard to come by in the Hamlet, what with the old road infested by brigands and the sea plagued by the pelagic horrors. Which is why you are here."

The Heir then produced a map of the region and pointed at a forested area close to the old road. "This portion of the Weald has swallowed up several caravans, some of them originally scheduled to deliver valuable medicine. Retrieve three shipments, and we shall have ourselves a successful Caregivers Convention." He then picked up a box he brought with him and put it on the table, nudging several plates aside to make space. "This is an example of what the medicine shipment looks like, so identifying them would not be too much trouble."

Estelle made sure to jot down the details of the mission and the description of the shipment in her Bracer notebook. She caught the others, even the Heir, staring at the pencil she was writing with. _Do they seriously not have pencils? What, they write with quills or something?_

Estelle spoke to the rest her team after getting the details of the mission and decided to return to the barracks and set up her orbment to be more physically-oriented. Out came the quartz that offered healing abilities, replaced with ones that would enhance her strength, speed, and durability to make her much more effective at the front. Satisfied with her set up, Estelle said a quick prayer to Aidios before meeting up with the others to pick up supplies and head out.

The group followed the old road for a bit before venturing down a side path. The Weald felt even thicker and more oppressive than the old road, and it felt worse the further Estelle and the others went in. The thickness of the canopy choked out any sunlight that managed to get past the perpetual cloud cover and the gloom seemed almost tangible, as though invisible walls of darkness were pressing in on them from all sides. The path felt more like a subterranean tunnel and a torch was lit to help guide the group along. As they walked deeper into the twisted forest, Estelle noticed all manner of toxic-looking mushrooms infesting the trees.

"Hey guys, what's with all the mushrooms?" Estelle asked. "I've never seen them grow this big before."

"This is the foul power of witchcraft. A Hag rules these lands, supported by her coven," Junia replied. "They used their dark arts to twist the humble fungus into monstrous sizes and forms. The mere thought of those creatures disgusts me, and you shall see why soon."

"The hag is a splendid prize and an excellent opportunity to put my skill on display, if I do say so myself," Margaret quipped. "I shall petition my gracious host to put me on the next expedition to hunt her down."

"Been itching for some sweet vengeance myself. Last time didn't go so well," Tardif said. "I can still feel the burns from that damned pot."

The group found their first medicine shipment with little trouble. Junia cracked open the box to made sure the medicine was still in good condition, a finding confirmed by Margaret. Satisfied with the state of their prize, the group took the box with them.

"Junia, you said the Hag lives here with her coven, right?" Estelle asked as they walked along. "How come they didn't take the drugs for themselves? This place doesn't seem very friendly."

"They have no need for medicine when they have their own herbal concoctions," Junia explained. "The Weald was twisted according to their will, so this land is far more hospitable to them than it is to us."

"My enthusiasm for the eventual Hag hunt has reached new heights. What a thrill, weaving through the Weald at night in darkness and silence. Firing the killing shot at the unsuspecting foe when she is most tranquil," Margaret said. "But I digress, for I have made enough noise, and no plan ever stays intact when encountering the enemy."

 _This is just great. Margaret reminds me of Olivier if he only loved guns and hunting._ Estelle had a bemused look on her face as she walked at the front of the group. Behind her, she heard Tardif snorting, probably in reaction to Margaret's attempt at poetry.

"Everyone, halt," Margaret suddenly called out, a sense of urgency in her voice, and the others quickly complied. Along with everyone else, Estelle listened and looked with bated breath. She could hear the distant sounds of a battle; inhuman groans mixed with the sounds of steel striking flesh. There was also a putrid stench in the air, most likely rotting bodies.

"Proceed slowly and silently, and observe the fight," Margaret suggested, and they slowly crept forward until they reached what appeared to be the edge of a clearing, with the smell getting worse as they got closer. Estelle saw some of the sword wielding skeletons from the Ruins collapsing to the ground, covered in blight that was slowly dissolving their bones with a sickening sizzle. The remains, a toxic slurry with an acrid smell that stung her nose and throat, was already being swallowed up by the corrupted earth. Only a few body parts remained, like the skeletal hand of a bone courtier still clutching its empty goblet. Their victorious opponents were four enemies she had never seen before.

Two of them stood upright and resembled human beings, albeit with necrotic flesh and giant mushrooms growing where their heads should have been. The other two clearly had human limbs and heads, however rotten they may be, but instead of walking they crawled about like spiders. Each had a fleshy, pulsating dome growing on their upturned abdomen, surrounded by an infestation of smaller mushrooms. Upon closer inspection, Estelle saw holes on the domes which dripped with some sickly yellow ichor. She was grossed out just by looking at them and realized where the smell had come from.

"Take out that crawler first," Tardif whispered to Margaret, who wordlessly acknowledged him by going prone, taking aim with her musket, and cocking the weapon. Tardif then turned towards the others and instructed them to get low then did the same.

"Tally ho," Margaret quipped before firing. Her shot struck the over-pressured spore sac of one of the crawling corpses. The distended dome exploded with a dry pop, obliterating its host body and sending out a noxious cloud of spores.

"Come on, you bastards!" Tardif stood up and waved his axe at the enemy, trying to lure them out of the cloud.

The other fungus-infested humans reacted quickly to the ambush. Gurgling groans came from the standing corpses as they shambled towards the adventurers while the crawling corpse remained stationary. The distended spore sac that dominated its torso contracted, violently pushing out a fungal projectile which sailed through the air and struck Tardif square on the chest. The standing corpses immediately turned their attention towards the bounty hunter and shambled a little faster.

Estelle jumped up and brought her staff down hard on one the walking dead, flattening the mushroom that sat on top of its shoulders. The creature lunged forward to grab Estelle's weapon, but she deftly countered with a jab which must have cracked its sternum.

 _That thing should already be dead!_ Estelle thought as she sidestepped the creature's clumsy strikes with ease. A few blows of her own later, and it was down for the count. She looked over to check on Tardif and saw him finishing hacking away at the skull of the other walking corpse with his axe. He then threw his chained hook at the crawling corpse, latching onto the spore sac.

"Come hither," Tardif growled as he yanked hard, throwing the creature off balance and dragging it towards him and Estelle. She seized the opportunity and smashed away at it with her staff until it stopped twitching. Estelle stepped back, gagging at the cloud of spores she'd created, and looked around to check to make sure the other enemies were definitely dead. When none of them stirred, she let out a sigh of relief.

With the skirmish over, Estelle fought the rising bile in her throat as she examined the corpses more closely, trying her best to ignore the nauseating smell of cadavers.

"Junia, are those the mushroom creatures you told me about? The ones that the witches are responsible for?" Estelle asked.

"Indeed they are. I do not know precisely how they achieve it, but they manipulate the fungus to suit their will and use them to control corpses. These monstrosities are the result," Junia replied. "May the poor souls finally find peace."

"Poor souls? Wait, you don't mean these dead bodies are…" Estelle trailed off, horrified realization dawning on her.

"Unfortunate travelers, former inhabitants of the Hamlet, and generally people who found themselves at the wrong place at the most inopportune time. They became nothing but slaves to will of the Hag and her dark coven," Junia said sadly. "The only thing we could do is to free them from this torment."

Estelle said nothing and tightened her grip on her staff, her urge to vomit growing stronger by the second. She tried to avert her gaze from the grisly sight in front of her by looking up, only to be greeted by another disgusting scene. Several hands and feet, some of them freshly severed, hung from the desiccated tree branches like grotesque ornaments. Overgrown flies buzzed about the dangling limbs, feasting and fattening themselves on the morbid morsels. She yelped as she pointed at them, prompting the other three adventurers to look up.

"Oh, those? That's how the witches mark territory," Tardif said nonchalantly as he checked the bodies for loot. "As for the rest of them, let's just say the witches aren't short on meat."

Estelle looked down and closed her eyes, both of her hands gripping her staff tightly enough that the fabric of her gloves started to creak. She had dealt with the occasional murder before, plus she and Joshua had helped Crossbell Police storm one of the last remaining strongholds of a devil-worshipping cult which experimented on (and murdered) children, but she had never seen criminals treat their fellow man so cruelly that not even death was an escape. Her disgust and nausea were gone, replaced by a righteous rage against those who were responsible for the terrible deeds.

"Estelle?" Estelle heard Margaret calling out to her, along with Junia administering last rites in the background. She slowly opened her eyes and stared at Margaret.

"I understand now, why everyone back the Hamlet are so afraid of stepping outside," Estelle said through gritted teeth, growing louder with each word. "Getting murdered, and then either cut up for meat or turned into fleshy puppets? Those poor innocent people didn't deserve any of this! All of you, do me a favor and point out witches when we see them! I'll make them pay! I'll make them all pay! Especially that Hag!"

"And pay they shall, but the grand hunt can wait for another day. The Caregiver Convention and, in turn, the Hamlet's sick and wounded depend on our success in this mission." Margaret said.

"Yeah, you're right. Let's go then," Estelle said, setting off briskly with the other three adventurers in tow, her own steps heavy with renewed purpose.

The group spent what at least four more days combing the Weald for medicine and treasure, fighting off rabid wolves and more fungal corpses along the way. Along the way, they finally found a third shipment and slew the rabid wolves that had made their nest around the box. Both Estelle and Tardif had been bitten during the fight, but Junia was always quick in laying hands on the wounds and healing them with the power of the Light. When pressed by Estelle for answers, Junia simply replied "The Light's miracles shine on the righteous in the heat of battle."

 _Guess her healing powers means I won't have to use any healing Arts.,_ Estelle thought.

"We have found the medicines we need, so let us head back to the Hamlet," Junia said.

"I agree with Junia's assessment," Margaret said. "We have accomplished our goals but exhausted our firewood and most of our food supplies. There is little point in us remaining here."

The group nodded in agreement and headed back to the Hamlet, leaving the corrupted Wealds behind.

"Hey Junia, looks like something's bugging you. What's up?" Estelle asked as the group walked along the old road back to the Hamlet.

"Do you recall your first encounter with the fungal scratchers and artillery? How there had been a battle beforehand?" Junia asked. "While I have seen skeletons outside the Ruins before, it had always been bone rabble – the ones wielding cudgels and never the soldiers or courtiers. This is a troubling portent."

"I'm no expert in skeleton behavior, but I'll take your word for it if you think it's a bad sign or something like that. Guess that's one more thing we need to tell Mr. Heir when we get back,." Estelle said.

"Indeed." Junia nodded and the group fell silent as the Hamlet came into view, eager to deliver their findings and get some rest.

* * *

 

**Hamlet**

The Heir had been trying to organize the Caregivers Convention for months, working every connection at his disposal to market the Hamlet as a safe and suitable location for healers to come and practice their craft and in turn restore a little trust in the Heir's authority among the populace. Even if they wouldn't be a permanent fixture, the healers could at least return to their homes with good news about the state of the Hamlet and convince more people to settle there. After innumerable letters showcasing his progress in cleansing the nearby lands and securing the old road, the Church and the Guild of Doctors had finally relented and agreed to hold a joint convention at the Hamlet.

A day after the Bracer and her companions returned with the much-needed medicines, delegations from settlements both near and far arrived in droves. The sounds of excited chatter filled the Hamlet as healers traded knowledge of their craft, and the tavern teemed with life in the form of convention attendees who needed to dine and unwind. The Hamlet's population eagerly took advantage of the temporary influx of healers and flooded the sanitarium, hoping to find cures and remedies that were not regularly available in the Hamlet. The attendees were more than happy to oblige their needs, seeing endless opportunities to put their knowledge to the test.

For the first time in years, the Hamlet's streets were filled with something resembling good cheer. Seeing his work finally yield visible dividends for the first time since his arrival, the Heir went to the tavern to have some wine in celebration. The noise of people in varying degrees of inebriation filled his ears as he opened the door. Every table had been filled with healers of all ages and calibers enjoying their meals and drink, peddling their medical treatises to each other. Smoke of both the tobacco and herbal varieties filled the air as fierce, yet good-natured, debates raged about the benefits and hazards of both. The sole exception to the festive mood was Paracelsus at the bar, skulking and staring into her glass.

 _She's probably just tired or something. I'll ask her about it later,_ The Heir shrugged and ordered a glass of wine. It arrived promptly, and he slowly savored his drink. He thought back to what Junia and the others had told him about the skeletons after their return from the Weald and began to wonder if they were sent as a scouting party for something. Still, lacking any other information, he wasn't able to come to any conclusions.

 _Perhaps future expeditions will reveal more clues about this matter, if it actually is something significant,_ the Heir thought as he paid for his drink and stepped out. As he made his way around the Hamlet, he noticed more than a few people were beginning to greet him instead of scurrying out of his way, and the same courtesy was extended to the adventurers he had hired.

"A trifling victory…" The Heir jolted and turned around, seeing Ambrosius with a softened expression on his translucent face. "…but a victory nonetheless."

"Pardon me, but suddenly appearing behind and giving me a fright is not the behavior of polite company," The Heir grumbled.

"My apologies. It has been some time since I was among the living. I am merely visiting to congratulate you on your progress. I see something long-absent in the sunken faces of passersby - a glimmer of hope. I shall take my leave now, and not despoil your sense of satisfaction," Ambrosius said before fading away.

"Wait! I have more questions!" the Heir cried out before sighing in resignation. "Alack, what a strange man. Despicable in life, and elusive in death."

The Heir then made his way back to his office, plans for the next expedition forming in his mind. He walked past Estelle chatting excitedly with Reynauld.

"Seeing something like this and knowing I helped it happen is why I'm proud to be a Bracer…" Estelle's voice trailed off as the Heir walked out of earshot.

_Indeed, and my noble crusade is finally bearing fruit. You and the others will continue to play a crucial role in the days to come._


	6. Slay Them Fast

Seeing how the Hamlet was busy hosting the Caregivers Conference that morning, Estelle decided to head for the general store and ask about a particular item she’d been itching to get her hands on ever since she arrived at the Hamlet…

“A fishing rod, you say? We haven’t had one in stock for a while, sorry,” The owner said. “I’ll put in an order this week, so make sure to check back with me in a week or two after the stagecoach comes back.”

“Sure, no problem. Thanks!” Estelle said happily before stepping out and seeing Reynauld casually strolling down the street.

Reynauld waved at Estelle. “Greetings, Estelle. I am glad to see thou art still blessed with good health.”

Having nothing better to do, Estelle decided to hang out with Reynauld for a bit. The two of them patrolled the Hamlet’s streets together, making sure the inhabitants and visitors alike were safe and sound.

“This is the first time I have seen the Hamlet in anything resembling a festive atmosphere,” Reynauld said. “At last, the Light’s blessings shine down upon this place.”

“I talked to Alfred earlier, and he mentioned you, Dismas, and Mr. Heir used to have it a lot worse when you first showed up,” Estelle said. “Is it true the locals even pelted you with rotten veggies?”

“Indeed it was, Estelle. Due to certain sins committed by His Lordship’s ancestor, they have a severe distrust for anyone associated with his family line,” Reynauld said. “I am certain His Lordship knows more about this matter, but he appears to be too ashamed of the matter to divulge any more details.”

“That doesn’t sound sketchy at all,” Estelle said with a flat look. “In the Bracer Guild, they always make sure to screen the people making the requests to make sure there’s no criminals trying to cover up their tracks or use us as accomplices.”

“I have some misgivings about His Lordship myself, but I have no reason to be suspicious so far as he does pay us and provide us with amenities. Perhaps he will be more open about this matter as we march ever closer to victory.” Reynauld then paused a little before continuing. “Forgive me if I am being too intrusive, but thou hast mentioned this ‘Bracer Guild’ quite often during conversations. I must admit I am quite curious about this place.”

“The Bracer Guild? It’s basically an organization that helps keep people safe in my home country as well as neighboring countries on the continent. We have a bunch of branch offices in different towns and cities. People in need send requests to those offices, Bracers like me take the requests, and receptionists who work in those offices hand out rewards afterwards,” Estelle explained.

“Interesting. I must admit this is quite an intriguing setup. Does the Bracer Guild rely on levies to recruit people?” Reynauld asked.

“Levies? You mean conscription? Of course not! We’re not an army, more like a loose collection of individuals with fighting and investigation skills,” Estelle began to explain. “We have pretty high standards when it comes to hiring new Bracers. For starters, each prospective Bracer needs to be at least sixteen and pass an entrance exam as well as be recommended by a current Bracer. They become Junior Bracers afterwards and need a certain amount of experience before becoming Senior Bracers. In the case of myself and Joshua, we travelled to different branches in our home country and got recommended by all of them.”

Estelle then pointed at a pin she wore on her outfit, which depicted a metal gauntlet on top of a shield and surrounded by wings.

“This is my Bracer badge. Getting it was one of the proudest days of my life. It means I can be trusted with more challenging requests. When the people see this badge, they know everything will be okay,” Estelle grinned. “I know the Bracer Guild doesn’t exist here, so I need to work extra hard to make sure people here know they can count on someone wearing this badge.”

“Thou and I are very similar in that regards,” Reynauld chuckled a little before gesturing at the cross-like symbol on the cloth he wore over his chest plate. “This is the symbol of the Church of the Flame and by extension the very Light I worship. It is a great honor for me wear it into battle as a soldier of the Light. The innocents know this symbol as one of comfort and protection, very much like thy Bracer badge.”

“Aww shucks. I don’t think a Bracer like me can be compared to a church,” Estelle said as she cast a quick glance towards the Abbey and Sanitarium. The two had made their way to the town square over the course of their conversation. “Back home, the guild and the church work together pretty often, but we’re not the church’s army or anything like that. We just help cover areas the others are weak at.”

“Has the church of Aidios embarked on any crusading campaigns?” Reynauld asked. “Thou mentioned thy church brought mankind out of a period of darkness. Surely there must be some warfare involved to pacify the lands.”

“Crusades? Nah. From what I learned in history class, the church has always been peaceful. Even during the Dark Ages, the church was more focused on education and disaster relief,” Estelle said. “If anything needed to be done, they relied on the good will and cooperation of local knights.”

“Thank you for thine insight, Estelle,” Reynauld said. “Perhaps the Guild here could evolve beyond a simple training facility to something more like your Bracer Guild. If I may ask, what was thy profession before becoming a Bracer?”

“Me? I was just a teenage girl barely out of school. My dad used to be a Bracer, and he decided to teach Joshua and I everything he knew and nudged us in that direction. I’ve always wanted to protect people since…since I was young. Let’s just say I have a great role model I look up to.” Estelle looked down at the ground, trying to hide the sadness in her eyes as she thought back to her mom.

“Anyway, a lot of our requests involving protecting people from monsters as well helping all kinds of people and businesses gather much-needed supplies. We even did a few requests where all we had to do was help villages set up festivals,” Estelle said, grinning as she pointed at the line of excited and hopeful villagers lining up in front of the Sanitarium. “Seeing something like this and knowing I helped it happen is why I’m proud to be a Bracer!”

Before Reynauld could say anything in return, the Abbey’s bell rang at a rapid pace. In some of the smaller towns she and Joshua went to, a church’s bell doubled as a warning sign for an impending attack. Judging from Reynauld’s tense body language as well as the villagers scrambling to get indoors, Estelle deduced the Abbey’s bell served a similar purpose.

“To arms! To arms! Enemies approach from the west!” the town crier shouted at the top of his lungs as he frantically rang the bell in his hand. “All residents and visitors are to head inside and bar all doors and windows!”

 _Yup, just as I thought._ Estelle took off at a jog towards the west end of town. She glanced backwards at Reynauld walking at a brisk pace and realized that was probably as fast as he could go due to his heavy plate mail. She slowed down a bit to allow him to catch up.

“Do not slow down for my sake, Estelle! Join the others at the west side first!” Reynauld called out. “Thou art more needed there!”

Estelle nodded and took off on a full sprint. The west end’s familiar putrid stench filled her nose, but that did not deter her from running. She followed the town guard members she saw along the way towards the edge of the Hamlet. Estelle joined a group of guardsmen who were huddled around a large man. She recognized him as the one-eyed man she saw in the Guild during her first day at the Hamlet.

 _Barristan the Man-at-Arms,_ Estelle recalled.

“We don’t have a lot of time, so I’ll make this quick. Lookouts have reported seeing a herd of Swine approaching. A mix of slashers and choppers, from the sound of things. We need to close in and destroy the enemy. They must not be allowed into the Hamlet at any cost!” Barristan said. He surveyed the group before fixing his good eye on Estelle. “Who else is coming?”

“Reynauld is on his way and should be here soon,” Estelle replied. “I haven’t seen anyone else, though.”

“That’s fine. I can work with what we have. The spearmen will form two ranks and block the road. Archers, form two ranks of four and stay 20 meters behind the spearmen.” Barristan looked around at the houses and smiled after noticing ladders to the roof were already placed along the walls to each one. “The remainder will engage from the rooftops. Fire on my command.”

Barristan then gestured towards the troops who wielded shortswords and shields. “Skirmishers, first squad will hide in the bushes along the road. Close in and engage the enemy either if you suspect they can track you via smell or once the spearmen clash with them, whichever comes first. Second squad will guard the archers’ flanks in case the slashers decide to play smart.”

“What about me?” Estelle asked before the sound of clanking footsteps signaled Reynauld’s arrival. “Or Reynauld?”

“Ah yes. This is your first time responding to a raid.” Barristan said. “The Crusader knows his place among the flankguard for the archers. As for you, join the skirmishers in the bushes.”

“You got it!” Estelle then rushed out of the Hamlet and ducked into a bush along the road. She found herself next to a skirmisher who looked just over 14 years old. He cast a nervous glance at Estelle, and she saw that his sword arm was shaking.

“First time doing this?” Estelle whispered. “Don’t worry, me too. Let’s work together so we can make it out alive, all right?”

“Y-yeah…miss,” the young militia boy said. “Light have mercy. I…I don’t know if I can…I heard those Swine will eat you alive!”

“Hey, easy, easy!” Estelle said as she put a hand on his shoulder. “Deep breaths in, deep breaths out. Nobody is going to eat you, all right? Not on my watch.”

The boy did as she said, and his shaking soon stopped. Satisfied her trick worked like a charm, Estelle laid in wait along with the other skirmishers, listening and watching without exposing themselves too much. It couldn't have been more than a minute before the foe finally showed, but it felt like an eternity.

The Swine were smelled before they were seen. The stench resembled the result of someone smearing sweat-soaked clothes in manure, burying it for a few days, then dug it back out and let it bake in the sun. The militia skirmishers around her all began to gag, as did Estelle. Some of the older troops started to shush the younger ones while holding their own noses.

Estelle peeked over the bush and saw a motley group of five creatures resembling wild boars that walked on two legs. Three of them were tall and burly, each wielding a serrated cleaver in their right hands. Their left arms were wrapped in chains that ended in a large spiked metal ball, which they carried in their left hands. The other two were far more emaciated, wielding shields and metal hooks that were bolted onto their arms. They wore thick metal helmets that covered their heads save for their snouts, and their stubby legs had metal stilts bolted on to make them appear taller.

 _Wait a minute, are those things nailed to their limbs? Gross!_ Estelle thought just as Barristan roared in the distance, and arrows rained on the Swine soon after. The barrage took down one of the hulking creatures and left the other two with arrows poking out all over their bodies. The smaller Swine were smart enough to get low and use their shields to protect themselves. At once, they all bellowed and charged in the direction of the spearmen. The sound of thumping footsteps signaled the spearmen’s own advance, and the sound of battle cries and squealing soon followed.

“That’s our cue! Go! Go! Go!” Estelle sprinted out of the bush and towards the unsuspecting group of Swine with their backs turned. The skirmishers quickly followed suit and boxed in the small Swine herd, who blindly slashed in all directions with their cleavers and hooks. Estelle and the others struck in a flurry of blows and slashes, allowing the spearmen to charge forward and impale the creatures on their spears. Within seconds, the battle was over and five Swine laid dead at their feet.

Barristan gathered the troops again and did a quick count for casualties. Estelle saw relief wash over his face once he saw that nobody was hurt. She also noticed that a few other adventurers had arrived besides Reynauld, although their expertise was clearly not needed. Satisfied with the battle’s outcome, Barristan sent a runner to the Abbey to sound the all-clear before surveying the corpses. Wanting to record some entries in her notebook, Estelle decided to follow along.

“The big ones are swine choppers. Their cleavers can cut you up real good and make you bleed all over the place, and those flails will give you a nasty concussion,” Barristan replied while Estelle jotted in her book. “The small ones are swine slashers. They got thicker armor than the others but are pretty weak otherwise. Watch out for their hooks. They are covered in disease-spreading filth. Still, something’s not right about them, but I can’t quite figure out what.”

“I think they were starving,” Estelle said as she examined the corpses. “I have some close friends who run a family farm back home. Picked up a thing or two from them.”

“Hmph. Serves them right, and that explains the raid,” Barristan said. “Must have been running low on human flesh.”

“Great, as if those witches in the Weald aren’t enough.” Estelle felt a bit nauseated upon hearing that little tidbit of unwelcome trivia. “Now we need to worry about these walking pigs? What’s next? Evil fish who terrorize ships and fishermen?”

“How did you…” Barristan and Estelle were suddenly interrupted by the runner who had just returned from the Abbey. “What is it?”

“His Lordship wants to see the ‘Bracer’ immediately,” he said and gestured for Estelle to follow him. She bid Barristan farewell before following the runner to the house that doubled the Heir’s residence and office. Estelle stepped inside and saw a waiting area of sorts with Alfred sitting on one of the chairs. Estelle decided to sit down as well and wait.

“I suppose you are curious regarding the reason for your summoning,” Alfred said. “His Lordship has decided to dispatch you on another expedition. We simply need to wait for the others to arrive before he proceeds with more information.”

* * *

 

The first person to arrive was Boudica the Hellion. She carried a long glaive with her and wore a set of leather armor with fur trimmings. A thick leather belt with a large metal buckle depicting a skull sat snugly on her waist. Two blue stripes ran down the right side of her face, something Boudica described as traditional warpaint during the handful of conversations Estelle had with her. Her long red hair was tied up in a messy ponytail and arranged in cornrows on the sides of her head.

“Top of the day to you, Estelle,” Boudica greeted her, speaking with an unfamiliar accent. “The spirits carry tales of your valor to my ears, and I look forward to slaying foes by your side.”

The second person to arrive was William the Houndmaster. He was much older than Estelle, with a face framed by thick hair and beard that was the same shade of brown as the fur on his trusted canine Annabelle. He carried a billy club and wore a tattered and patched lawman’s uniform, the metal badge pinned on the jacket dented and scratched in several places. Estelle noticed his alert stance soften as he entered and saw Estelle, with Annabelle rushing towards her and barking happily.

“Hey, buddy,” Estelle smiled as she got down on one knee and ran a hand through the hound’s fur. She and Joshua both had soft spots for dogs and cats.

William smiled. “Looks like we’re off to a good start. The hound trusts you.”

The last person to arrive was Damian the Flagellant. He carried a painful-looking whip that resembled a cat-o-nine-tails with miniature spiked flail heads at the end of the chains. His garments consisted of a ragged blood-stained hooded tunic that covered the upper half of his face and exposed his scar-ridden body. Some of the scars and bloodstains looked far more recent than others, and Estelle was pretty sure all the stains were from his own blood. He also wore a collar on his neck with long spikes angled upwards in such a way that they formed an open-topped cage. Estelle felt more than a little unnerved at the man’s bloody appearance as he turned and looked over her and Boudica.

“Hmm. I’m stuck with two heathens for this quest? Surely the Light is testing me,” Damian coldly remarked.

“Come on, Damian. We’re in this together. These two are of good character unlike the cultist acolytes and the witches,” William said.

“Come along now, this is no time for a theological dispute,” Alfred said as he opened the door to the Heir’s office, motioning for them to go inside. “The expedition cannot wait.”

The five of them filed inside and sat down in front of the Heir’s desk, and he wasted no time in getting into the details. While there had been no casualties, the Hamlet’s inhabitants and conference attendees were still quite frightened by the sudden turn of events. To restore their confidence and show the Heir indeed had the strength to guarantee the Hamlet’s security, a quick retaliatory raid into the Warrens was planned in short order. Get in. Do as much damage as possible. Get out. Estelle was to serve as a healer for the raid, due to the Vestals and Occultists being preoccupied with the conference’s events.

Once the briefing was delivered and the team assembled, Estelle made sure her ARCUS was configured to cast healing and support Arts as well as having a couple of quartz to reduce energy consumption and slowly recharge her Orbment as she walked. She and the others then set off towards the Warrens. The stench that had always haunted the Hamlet’s west end grew more intolerable as Estelle and company approached, and Estelle resorted to pinching her nose shut and breathing through her mouth.

“It’s best you don’t do that, lass,” William said. “Just breathe normally and get accustomed to the smell. You’ll be a much more effective fighter that way.”

“What? I…ugh…you got a point.” Estelle slowly let go of her nose and gingerly took a breath, gagging the entire time from the putrid air. It smelled like a lot of _somethings_ crawled into a giant pit and died together, then somebody decided to use that pit as both an open-air latrine and garbage dump. Nothing she had ever encountered back home smelled that foul. “I’m guessing we’re getting closer if the smell is getting stronger?”

“Aye, Estelle. Be wary, spirits of ill health haunt the realm we will be entering,” Boudica replied. “Take heed to avoid touching anything without proper protection or cleansing.”

Soon, one of the entrances to the Warrens came into view. Estelle practically felt the hot air blowing from within, carrying the overwhelming stench. She gagged as bile rose into her throat, and her eyes stung from the foul breeze, the warmth making it even worse. The place didn’t just smell like Death, but rather Death’s own rotting carcass. Which the stench had killed.

As much as Estelle didn’t want to go in, she knew her duty well. She deliberately took a deep breath to force her body to get used to the smell while fighting to keep her stomach’s contents down, then strode inside along with the others. A torch was lit to help the team navigate the cramped corridors.

The interior was even worse than outside, with rotting flesh and various waste strewn all over the place. The ancient stone tunnels somewhat reminded Estelle of the sewer under Grancel, except for all the filth and the Swinefolk’s unsettling grunting and squealing that echoed through the tunnels. It seemed the creatures were never more than an arm’s length away, ready to pounce on the four human interlopers at any second. Estelle’s eyes darted back and forth, scanning the tunnel ahead for threats.

“This place is normally a lot worse. Swinefolk love human flesh, but they also have a habit of leaving leftovers all over the place. Arms, legs, heads, and even entire torsos,” William said. “The smell is the residue from all those rotting bodies, so even removing them won’t help.”

“Thanks a lot, William. I totally needed to know that.” Estelle’s nausea got even stronger, and she soon started to gag again.

“I’m sorry if I disgusted you, but it is something I must do for those unfamiliar with the Warrens. One cannot be an agent of justice if they cannot stomach the evil they must prosecute,” William explained in a stern and tired tone. “I know this far too well.”

“No, I don’t blame you. You've got a point,” Estelle said. “My dad never shied away from explaining to me the nastier things I would run into as a Bracer, and a cop friend told me he had to learn the same thing you mentioned during his training.”

“You’re acquainted with another lawman?” William perked up. “What is he like?”

“His name is Lloyd, and he was pretty new to the force when I met him,” Estelle said. “He’s a nice guy, and really dedicated to justice and doing good for the people.”

“People like him are too few and far in between among lawmen around here.” William sighed sadly before continuing. “Tell me, what became of Lloyd?”

“He and his friends were seen as heroes in their country. ‘Were’,” Estelle said bitterly. “Then an empire conquered his home. Now, he’s working as part of the resistance and considered a wanted criminal. Still, he fights on for the sake of justice and freedom.”

“I see,” William said before dropping to a whisper that Estelle barely heard. “So this is the fate that befalls all those who truly seek justice.”

Before Estelle could say anything else, she and the others noticed several shapes moving down the hallway ahead towards them. She fell back behind the others, staff in one hand and ARCUS in the other, ready to respond to any situation. Boudica and Damian stood side-by-side with their weapons drawn. William stood ahead of Estelle, with Annabelle growling and tugging at the leash.

Their enemy soon came into view. Estelle recognized a swine chopper and swine slasher, plus three she had never seen before. Her attention was focused on the biggest one of them all: a gigantic worm with eyes darting all over the place as well as a toothy maw that seemed like it could shoot out and bite the prey. In a split second, all hell broke loose as four adventurers charged at the five monsters.

Estelle roared as she jumped in the air and brought her staff down on the large carrion eater. The blow crushed the overgrown worm’s soft boneless head, spraying semi-liquid meat and eyeballs all over the surrounding area, including Estelle. She landed with a roll and surveyed the area for additional enemies, ignoring the filth that had covered her.

“Show me what passes for fury among your misbegotten kind!” Damian shouted as he charged at the swine slasher. He quickly closed the distance and started waling on the creature with his spiked flail. It desperately tried to drive off the flagellant by swinging the hook it wore on its right arm at him. Despite its flailing, each successfully landed gouge only drove Damian into a religious frenzy which strengthened his assault. A trail of blood formed and grew in the wake of Damian’s advance, his own blood mixed with that of the doomed swine slasher.

Boudica was engaged in a dance of death with the swine chopper, parrying blows from its serrated cleaver while landing gory gouges with her glaive. She started to chant some kind of tribal battle song as she kept hacking away at the towering porcine warrior, her words interwoven with the beast’s grunts of pain and rage.

William whistled sharply and pointed at the swine drummer, and his trusted hound Annabelle darted towards the creature. The dog slammed into the swine and tackled it to the ground. The creature flailed and squirmed, trying to shake off the dog. Annabelle shrugged off its feeble struggle and bit into the swine’s throat, snarling and tearing at its neck. The swine’s pained grunts soon turned into dying gurgles and wheezes as the vice-like grip of Annabelle’s jaw sliced open its airway and carotid artery, spraying corrupted pig blood all over the relentless hound’s face.

Her companions’ efforts left Estelle with only one opponent, something William described as a ‘swine wretch’ on their way out of the Hamlet. It resembled a pig for the most part, save for its atrophied hind limbs, lanky forelimbs that it used as legs instead, and a human skull that was somehow embedded into the swine’s exposed stomach. While Estelle charged, the swine wretch’s cheeks puffed up before it heaved its stomach’s contents in an arc that collided with her. Estelle advance came to a literal screeching halt as she screamed incoherently in disgust while trying to brush off the vomit.

Estelle gagged as she tried to hold her breath, tasting bile in her mouth. She knew any effort to move again would require her to breathe in the noxious air and upset her stomach even further. She would be reduced to a puking mess and left vulnerable for further attacks. A more “Artistic” approach was therefore needed.

“ARCUS, activate,” A glowing halo appeared at Estelle’s feet. Soon, a pointed boulder formed in front of her and shot towards the swine wretch. The needle-like rock obliterated the pig skull in a shower of bone, blood, and brain matter. The creature’s forelimbs buckled as the headless corpse crashed into the ground. Estelle surveyed her surroundings again and saw that her companions had all slain their opponents as well.

Estelle relaxed a little after making sure no foes were left standing, but the wave of nausea that had plagued her ever since she stepped foot into the Warrens hit its peak and drove Estelle down on all fours. Dry heaves soon gave way to a torrent of her own vomit as her stomach emptied onto the filth-covered stone floor. To stop the puking, Estelle tried to think pleasant thoughts and happy memories, anything to get her mind away from the disgusting carnage that surrounded her.

Joshua’s warm embrace and soft lips.

Dad’s smiling face every time she and Joshua visited him at Leiston Fortress.

Renne looking happy and relieved for the first time in years the day she officially moved into the Bright family home.

Tita buried face-first in her engineering work one second and rushing to hug Estelle the second after.

Kloe always taking time off from her royal duties to have tea with Estelle and Joshua whenever they were in Grancel.

Schera, Agate, Zin, and Anelace, who all helped her and Joshua mature as both Bracers and as people.

Even being stuck with nobody but the notoriously insufferable Olivier for company would be preferable.

_I want to go home. To dad and Renne. They…they said they’ll throw a big party for me and Joshua because it’s my birthday…oh, no! NO! It’s been a month since I got here. I…I can’t believe I turned nineteen in this dump._

She had worked through her own birthday before, back when she and Joshua had travelled all over Zemuria to improve their skills as Bracers and to find Renne. Despite being away from friends and family, Joshua was always there to treat her to a romantic celebratory dinner after a hard day’s work. Whenever they were around, other Bracers would join in on the fun too. In turn, Estelle had always returned the favor for Joshua’s own birthday. Down in the hellish pigsty that was the Warrens, there wasn’t even Joshua to help her clean herself up and whisper words of comfort. Despite the presence of three adventurers, Estelle felt more alone than when she had only Joshua around.

 _I…I was supposed to be back from Calvard by now, Dad…Renne…Kloe…everyone…I’m so sorry…_ Estelle vomited up the last of her stomach’s contents. Her dry-heaving was broken up by a few soft light sobs. It was one thing to face off against undead skeletons and fungus-infested corpses, but being splashed with the swine wretch’s vomit in the middle of a hellish pigsty was something entirely. For a split second, she doubted if she would ever see her friends and family ever again. _I…I…wait a minute!_

 _Just because I’m missing my birthday again this year doesn’t mean I can’t see them again next year!_ Estelle’s coughs and sobs slowed just as the sounds of carnage died down around her, and she slowly straightened. _Sooner or later, me and Joshua will find our way. I just need to be patient and make it out of this pigsty._

“Anyone hurt badly?” Estelle turned her attention to her companions after she wiped off as much of the filth as she could.

“We’re all fine, Estelle. I hope the swine wretch didn’t spook you out too much,” William paused for a second before continuing. “You’ll get used to it. We all did. Just let it all out.”

“I’m sure I will,” Estelle said. “Let’s keep going. We still have monsters to kill.”

The group had a few more run ins with swine hordes that were a mix of slashers, choppers, drummers, and wretches. While Boudica, William, and Damian did most of the damage, Estelle hung back and provided either healing Arts or a good smack with her staff, whichever was needed the most. Soon, the group had a long trail of bodies in their wake and collected a decent amount of treasure from the various boxes and curios littered throughout the Warrens. Glittering gold, trinkets and baubles, all paid for in blood – be it their own or those of their enemies.

“The spirits have blessed us with victory after victory today. The map indicates there is a large chamber ahead of us, and William’s hound sniffed enemies on the other side,” Boudica said. “One more fight, and we could return to the Hamlet with tales of our victories.”

“Do not make this about you, pagan. Whatever victories we earn are done for Light,” Damian growled. “It would serve you well to remember that fact.”

“I do not need spiritual lessons from someone who deliberately mutilates himself. The gods only care for scars gained through combat, not the ones you give yourself,” Boudica quipped back. “Doing so is an insult for those who earned their scars.”

“That’s enough!” William called out. “Let’s just go in and get this over with.”

Damian grunted and pushed the door open, with the other three in tow. The chamber smelled even worse than anything else in the Warrens, if such a thing was possible. Everywhere Estelle looked, she saw piles upon piles of spoiled human flesh and bodily waste. The sight made her gag once more, and she quickly tried to avert her eyes only to lay her eyes upon gigantic creature responsible for all the filth, with two swine wretches by its side.

It wore a helmet that obscured its face and armor on its right shoulder and arm as well as what passed for its waist. The creature carried a gigantic chipped lance caked in dried blood. Fresh scars, seemingly from sword slashes, adorned its body, and the shattered remains of bone soldiers were clear indicators of the source of those slashes. It mostly resembled the mythical centaurs Estelle read in storybooks as a child, except it was far fatter and its lower body was that of a corpulent pig instead of a majestic horse.

Without warning, the gigantic swine monster charged at Estelle, fully intent on skewering her. She barely had time to duck out of the way, only for its hulking armored front to slam into her at full force. The crack of breaking bones echoed through the chamber like a gunshot and Estelle screamed as she was launched through the air to smash into a wall.

Estelle slumped against the ancient stones, coughing up blood. Each hacking cough and labored breath caused stabbing pain to flare up in several spots inside her chest. To add insult to injury, a swine wretch decided to shower Estelle with more vomit. She let out a haggard scream from frustration and stinging pain as the acidic vomit began to seep through her clothes and burn her skin.

 _I can’t do this. Oh Aidios, everything hurts._ Estelle thought as she tried to fight through the pain and get up, only to fall on her hands and knees. She weakly crawled forward, her right hand wrapped around her staff in a death grip, and desperately tried to reach her struggling allies. _My birthday. I just turned nineteen. I can’t die here._

She ignored the stabbing sensation in her side and forced her battered body to obey, using her staff as a support to try to drag herself upright. The effort sent a bolt of such blinding pain shooting through her back that she collapsed immediately, her legs going limp. She screamed until her throat was raw, leaving her gasping for breath as the wave of agony subsided.

 _I…I wonder what goodies Renne and dad made for Joshua and I, just waiting for us to come home._ Estelle thought as she continued slowly crawled forward forward, trying her best to ignore the squelching sounds whenever her limbs and body touched some of the unidentifiable filth that littered the room.

Through tear-blurred and blood-caked eyes, Estelle saw the swinetaur smack Damian aside. His grievous injuries only enraged him as he charged back into the fray, shouting at the top of his lungs about shedding blood for the Light. Annabelle had just finished chewing a swine wretch’s throat to shreds when the swinetaur decided to target her as well, only for William to jump in front of his hound and take the brunt of its backhand. William held his ground but collapsed onto one knee and coughed out blood.

 _I…can’t do this…so tired..._ Darkness began to creep around the edges of Estelle’s vision. It was an uphill battle just for her to stay conscious. _We…can’t make…it…NO!_

Boudica seized the opening and slashed at the swinetaur’s left hindleg, leaving her open to the surviving swine wretch’s vomit attack. She yelped in pain and disgust as the acidic vomit spray over her back and began to burn through her clothes. She dodged to the side at the last minute, but not quick enough to avoid being grazed by the swinetaur’s lance. She screamed in pain and collapsed on her knees, one hand clutching the open wound while the swinetaur readied a killing blow.

 _Everyone is still fighting…I can’t…just…lay here!_ _I…need to find Joshua…and make it home!_ With shaking hands, she pulled out her ARCUS and opted for a lesser healing ability. While it wouldn’t give her a full recovery from her injuries, it took far less time to cast and was enough to put her back on her feet. With shaky but steady knees, Estelle slowly straightened herself. She still felt dull aches and pains all over her body, plus the burning sensation from the accumulated vomit of multiple swine wretches. Yet she ignored them and charged, a moment of valor shining brightly amidst the backdrop of despair.

“This isn’t over yet, you freak!” Her dad had taught her the perfect move for this moment. She leaped at the swinetaur with a roar of determination and brought her staff down on the beast's helmet. “Armor…REND!!!”

The helmet cracked in half and clattered to the ground, revealing a disfigured pig face with the nose pushed into its skull. The creature was dazed from the severe blow to the head, something Boudica took advantage of. She threw her glaive at the swinetaur’s exposed head with all her might before Estelle cast a healing Art on her. The weapon sailed through the air, its sharpened blade piercing straight through the side of the swinetaur’s skull, slicing the brain in half along the way. The creature was dead before it hit the ground. Meanwhile, Damian and William ganged up on the surviving swine wretch and beat it to a bloody pulp. Estelle surveyed the area before breaking into a weak smile and preparing a group healing Art. The battle had finally been won.

“Estelle? Were you crying?” William asked with a hint of concern in his voice while she did her best to brush off any vomit and filth that clung to her. “What’s the matter?”

Estelle sighed after blinking out her tears. “I…I just turned nineteen. I was supposed to be back home by now, celebrating with my friends and family. Instead I was whisked here a month ago and haven’t found a way back yet.”

“I’m so sorry to hear that, Estelle,” William put a hand on her shoulder. “A girl your age should not have taken on this burden in the first place.”

Estelle smiled weakly. “It’s okay, William. I’m a Bracer. I’ve been hunting monsters since I was sixteen, and I’ve missed my share of birthdays.”

“That doesn’t excuse missing this one, lass,” Boudica spoke up. “Back in my tribe, a woman turning nineteen signifies she has passed a test from the gods and is ready for any responsibility thrust upon her. This calls for celebration and revelry once we return! Isn’t that right, Damian?”

“Yeah, I guess,” Damian growled. “A birthday simply means another year to fight for the Light, or in your case that Goddess the Crusader says you worship. Let’s just get out of here.”

* * *

 

The trip back to the Hamlet was quick, and they arrived shortly after sunset. After they collected their pay and bonus, the four adventurers were led to a public bathhouse where they were finally able to wash off the filth that clung to their bodies. Their soiled outfits were taken away, replaced by clean ones. Since Estelle didn’t have a second outfit, they gave her a long tunic that was commonly worn by the women she had seen around the Hamlet. She found her temporary outfit a bit dull, but she took solace in the fact it somewhat resembled what her mother often wore. She took a good look in the mirror and decided to leave her hair ties off for the night, allowing her long hair to dry and making her look even more like her mother. _Maybe I should dress like this for Joshua and see what he thinks._

With everyone changed, they headed for the tavern — except for Damian who went to the abbey instead. The tavern was still filled with good cheer that had persisted since the conference began, and it seemed not even the Swine attack could deter it. Reynauld, Dismas, and a few others gathered at a round table off to the side, and Boudica quickly pulled her in that direction.

“Estelle, Boudica, William,” Margaret tipped her hat. “Glad to see you all still in one piece. You look different, Estelle, in a good way.”

“Thanks, Margaret,” Estelle said. “How did the rest of the day go?”

“Pretty well, considering that foiled attack,” Margaret said. “The Hamlet’s inhabitants and the visitors just went back to their routines as if nothing had happened. Either they don’t care, or they saw the Heir is actually doing a decent job protecting the place.”

“That’s good to —” Estelle stopped short when Boudica gently elbowed her side. “What did you do that for?”

“You know you shouldn’t dance around this issue,” Boudica said. “Everyone, today is the new girl’s 19th birthday. What say we give her the welcome she’s long overdue?”

“Is that so?” Dismas raised an eyebrow and smirked, his scarf had been pulled down earlier so he could eat. “First beer’s on me, Estelle.”

“Wh-what did you all get me into?” Estelle smiled nervously before the revelry kicked off in full force…


	7. Interlude 1 - Bright Birthday Bash

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A party is held, a moment of respite from the horrors of the Darkest Estate.

**Bright Family House, 7 August 1205**

“Floor swept?” Cassius asked.

“Check,” Renne replied as she ticked the item off her list.

“Table set?”

“Check.”

“My finest wine out on the table?”

“Check.”

“Food all cooked?”

“Check…” Renne trailed off as she looked over the tinfoil-wrapped trays. “…except for the food we ordered. That should be here soon.”

“Good job! Now we just need to wait.” Cassius then held his hand out for a high-five, which Renne gladly returned. They plopped down at the dining table, satisfied about the cleanliness of the house and the fact preparations for the party were pretty much complete. Since Cassius had to live in his official residence at Leiston Fortress most of the time and Renne was living on campus at Jenis Royal Academy, the Bright family house had been left to Estelle and Joshua to take care of.

Until they went missing a little over a month ago, that is.

Because their Bracer work took them all over Western Zemuria over the past couple of years, Estelle and Joshua were never home for their own birthdays. It was supposed to have been different this time around since their Calvard job was supposed to only last until mid-July. With the original plan in mind, Cassius and Renne had taken time out of their schedules to set up a joint birthday celebration for the two which would take place on Estelle’s birthday. They had invited all of Estelle and Joshua’s childhood friends as well as everyone who helped them over the course of the foiled coup and subsequent crisis in Liberl. Aside from some Bracers who were understandably tied up with their own work, as well as Prince Olivert and Major Vander who were having their own problems in Erebonia, everyone else had wanted to come and had been eagerly looking forward to the party.

Their disappearance had changed all of that. Kevin and Ries had to drop out because they were overseeing the team that was researching the artifact which caused the whole mess in the first place, and Zin had to investigate the ruins they went missing in. Several Bracers had to cancel as well because they were suddenly tasked with looking into the disappearance of two of their own. Cassius and Renne had been contemplating calling the whole thing off until Princess Klaudia stepped in and “kindly suggested” that Cassius should go ahead with the party anyway.

 _“General, you and Renne worked so hard on this gathering. While I am as saddened by their absence as you are, this is no excuse to let your preparation go to waste,” she had told him_. _“If anything, this event will be an excellent chance for us to gather and celebrate their growth over the years. Those of us who braved Liber Ark together are overdue for a reunion.”_

A knock got Cassius and Renne’s attention, and Renne won the race to the door. She was greeted with the sight of young brunette woman carrying several trays of food. It was Elissa, one of Estelle and Joshua’s childhood friends.

“Hey, Elisa! Here, let me help you with those.” Renne said as she took some of the trays and went to the kitchen, with Cassius taking the remaining trays and Elisa following closely behind. The sight of all the food on the table made for an appetizing selection, if only Estelle and Joshua were there to enjoy it with them. After putting the trays down, Elisa joined Cassius and Renne at the table.“Mr. Cassius, Renne, I hope you don’t mind me asking this, but how…how are you holding up?” Elisa asked, and Cassius knew exactly what she was hinting at.

“I’m okay. School and the Ruan Guild are keeping me busy,” Renne replied with a smile, and Cassius could immediately tell it was forced no matter how well-practiced the smile was. He still didn’t know whether it hurt him more to see Renne crying or forcing a smile to hide her sadness.

“I’m doing as well as I can manage. I try not to get distracted from work, but coming back home is a nice change of pace,” Cassius put a reassuring hand on Renne’s shoulder. “I got some leave days to burn, and I felt like I haven’t seen Renne in ages. What about you, are you doing okay?”

“Yes, sir,” Elissa politely nodded. “Is there anything I can help with before more guests arrive?”

“Can’t think of anything, really,” Cassius said. “Everything is pretty much set, so we can just take it easy until the party starts.”

After a few minutes’ worth of small talk, another knock sounded at the door. Cassius and Renne went to the door together and were greeted with two more guests. One of them, a teenage girl with long blonde hair, immediately rushed to Renne and wrapped her in a tight hug. Her name was Tita Russell, and she was the granddaughter of one of Liberl’s top scientific minds as well as a brilliant aspiring engineer in her own right. Because her family was away often, she was something of an honorary little sister to Estelle and Joshua as well as Renne’s closest friend.

“Renne, I’m so glad to see you again!” Tita said happily. “Are you having fun at Jenis?”

“Uh-huh,” Renne nodded, hugging Tita back. “School is easy, and all the students are so nice.”

“Oh! Want to see something I’m working on?” Tita let go and opened a large box at her feet, revealing two jugs of icy-cold lemonade. “It’s an orbal cooler! It’ll help keep your food cold and fresh during long trips!”

“That’s amazing, Tita! Did you work on it all by yourself?” Renne asked, and Tita responded with several enthusiastic nods. She picked up the cooler again and headed to the kitchen with Renne.

“Guess these two are as close as ever. I was expecting them to explode into a giant crying mess,” the second guest said. He was a young man in his mid-twenties, with red hair and a scar on his face. He wore a green vest over his dark shirt, a stone pendant, dark pants, and a pair of brown boots. His name was Agate Crosner, and he was a senior Bracer who had met Estelle and Joshua when they first started off in their own Bracer careers. “What about you, old man? You holding up okay?”

“I am, how about you?” Cassius asked Agate before leaning over to whisper into his ear. “Tita seems oddly chipper. Professor Russell told me she was crying herself to sleep for days after I…broke the news.”

“Yeah, about that…Apparently, she’s become a huge workaholic since then. Shortstuff’s even looking into studying orbal engineering abroad. Seems like that’s what she’s been planning all along, but the whole episode with Estelle and Joshua lit up some kind of spark in her,” Agate replied. “Anyway, I’m doing all right. Like I said before, Estelle and Joshua are tough cookies. They’ll manage just fine.”

“Yeah…yeah, they will.” Cassius sighed as he led Agate inside. “Looks like Elissa and Tita are getting along just fine. Care for some brandy?”

“Yeah, that’ll be great,” Agate replied. “That flight from Zeiss was a pain in the ass.”

Soon, Cassius and Agate found themselves slowly sipping their beverages on the porch outside, soaking up the late afternoon sun. The conversation ranged from Cassius’ army work to the three former ringleaders of Agate’s old delinquent gang who were doing well as Bracers in their own right. The chat was soothing to Cassius, as anything was better than sitting around in an empty house worrying about how Estelle and Joshua were doing in some Aidios-forsaken wasteland with no way out. Suddenly, a loud squawk from the sky caused Cassius to look up and notice a white falcon perched on his roof.

“Sieg? But that could only mean…” Cassius looked in the direction of the path that led to the front door and noticed two women walking towards the house, deep in conversation. The younger woman had short purple hair and wore a casual sundress with sandals, carrying herself with poise and grace. She was Klaudia von Auslese, one of Estelle’s closest friends and the heir to Liberl’s throne, therefore making her Cassius’ future boss. The other woman had short green hair and wore a green dress shirt and black pants tucked into knee-high riding boots. She was Lieutenant-Colonel Julia Schwarz, Commanding Officer of the Royal Guard and Princess Klaudia’s bodyguard. Unlike Klaudia, Julia look stiff and awkward, clearly not used to wearing civilian clothing. Cassius and Agate scrambled to the front door to greet them.

“General Bright, sir!” Julia came to attention and had her arm halfway up in a salute before she realized she wasn’t in uniform. “Her Highness and I thank you for your gracious invitation.”

“Come on, Julia, there’s no need to be formal when we’re both out of uniform.” Cassius chuckled as he shook Julia’s hand before bowing to the other woman. “Welcome to the Bright family house, Your Highness.”

“Thank you very much for the invite, Cassius, and I am so glad you decided to go ahead with the party. It’s what Estelle would want too, even if she’s not here to celebrate with us. By the way, you should take your own advice, especially in the comfort of your own home.” Princess Klaudia smiled warmly at Cassius before turning her attention to Agate. “It’s been a while, Agate. I trust your Bracer work is keeping you busy?”

“Sure am, Kloe,” Agate replied as the four made their way inside towards the dining room where Elisa, Tita, and Renne were happily chatting away.

“Kloe! Kloe’s here!” Tita jumped up and rushed to hug the princess while Elisa’s eyes went wide as dinner plates. Renne giggled at the sight of a teenager two years her senior hugging Princess Klaudia out of all people.

“Your…Your…Your Highness?” Elissa quickly stood up and curtseyed, utterly flabbergasted at the sight of the next queen of Liberl casually walking in.

“Please be at ease. We are all guests in Cassius’ home, after all,” Klaudia said. “You must be Elissa, correct? Please just call me Kloe while we’re here. A friend of Estelle and Joshua is a friend of mine. How’s the Abend Bar doing? It’s been years since my last visit, but I still remember it fondly.”

“You…you came to the Abend Bar, Your Highness…I mean, Kloe?” Elissa’s blue eyes widened even more. She wondered how she should break the news to her parents that not only had she met the Crown Princess, but she had actually visited their family restaurant before. “It’s…we’re doing really well! We actually bought an orbal bike recently to help with deliveries!”

“You’re making Elissa all nervous, Kloe!” Tita giggled a little as she spoke to the princess. “Oh, Elissa! Did you know Kloe is amazing at making tea and desserts?”

As more guests began to arrive, the house became livelier. First it was the Perzel siblings from the nearby farm, then it was some of Estelle and Joshua’s old Sunday School classmates. Finally, then the Bracers Anelace Elfead and Scherazard Harvey arrived, both having a huge impact on Estelle and Joshua’s own growth as Bracers. Once Cassius saw that all the guests arrived, the dinner started, and the group shared their memories of Estelle and Joshua as they ate.

_“…Estelle managed to bring an entire wasp nest into the house. The three of us spent an entire week trying to hunt them down...”_

_“Joshua is so smart! He helped Estelle and the rest of us pull through Sunday School…”_

_“…Estelle was in such a panic when I told her there was a test she had to take. You should have seen the look on her face…”_

_“…Joshua looked absolutely stunning in a wig and a princess dress. I wish all of you had been there to witness it for yourselves.”_

_“…Estelle is one hell of a rival, I’ll tell you guys that. Plus she introduced me to sweet little Tita here...”_

_“Estelle and Joshua did so much for Renne. She couldn’t have gotten into Jenis without their help...”_

As the conversation went on, Cassius excused himself for a few minutes and headed to his office to find the stack of decorated envelopes on his desk. Before he left, he cast a glance at the two family portraits on the table. The first one was Estelle standing in the middle, flanked by Cassius and Lena who were each holding one of her tiny hands. It was the final picture of his wife when she was still alive. The second picture was taken after Renne found out she had been accepted into Jenis Royal Academy and it had her, Cassius, Estelle, and Joshua smiling widely while standing together. That day was the last time the family had gathered together before Estelle and Joshua went to Calvard…and subsequently went missing.

 _Aidios, thank you for the wonderful friends Estelle and Joshua have made over the years,_ Cassius prayed as he took one last glance at the pictures. _Please bring them back soon._

“Everyone, I got some birthday cards from those who couldn’t make it tonight,” Cassius announced as he returned to the dining room. “Who wants to read them one-by-one?”

The room cheered, with some of them clearly fuelled by alcohol. Each guest got their own envelope, which they eagerly opened in turn, and everyone discussed the congratulatory messages and well-wishes for Estelle and Joshua's return. A knock suddenly came from the front door. Cassius and Renne opened the door and was greeted by a green-haired priest wearing a white jacket and a red-haired nun. It was Father Kevin Graham, a priest who went through great lengths to help Estelle and Joshua in the past, and his squire Ries Argent.

“Hey, Cassius. I’m not too late to the party, am I?” Kevin waved while Ries politely nodded. “Before you ask, I was kinda forced to take some time off. Guess the Boss Lady has a caring side, after all.”

“That’s because we found out you had barely slept for weeks.” Ries glared at Kevin. “Dominion or not, there’s no way you can properly function like this, especially when you travel to Calvard for your investigation.”

“Of course you're not too late, Father Kevin,” Cassius said as he welcomed them in. “Sister Ries, this is your first time here, right? Make yourself at home. We’re just reading birthday cards for Estelle and Joshua as well as sharing stories.”

“All right! Boy do I have some juicy stories from when we first met. But I’m not here just for pleasure. I got some good news too!” Kevin grinned as he and Ries greeted the others while finding their seats. “The church has approved my funding request for hiring some extra assistance. Don’t worry, I’m not talking about Jaegers. It’s actually someone a few of us know pretty well. First things first, though. Let’s get on with the party!”

The party became livelier – and rowdier – after Kevin and Ries’ arrival, with Schera leading the adult guests on several drinking games, where she handily won every single one. Not the one to be easily discouraged, Kevin tried to match her drink-to-drink, something Cassius suspected he would regret the next morning. Despite normally the one to rein in her boss’ antics, Ries was busy helping herself to the wide selection of food and dashing any concerns Cassius and Renne had about leftovers.

The chatter was becoming increasingly animated and excited as the night went on, a welcoming far cry from the silence that permeated the house on most days. As midnight neared, Cassius stood up with a glass of brandy in hand and cleared his throat.

“May I have your attention, please? First of all, Renne and I would like to thank you from the bottom of our hearts for coming. Even if Estelle isn’t here for her own birthday party, I’m sure she’s here in spirit and would want us to have fun for her. Now, time for one last story.

“It was the first day of weapons training for the two of them as part of my curriculum to prepare them to become Bracers. After teaching some basic stances and strikes, I decided to end the day with a sparring session between the two. Joshua, being far more experienced at the time, always came out on top and even gave Estelle a few good hits.

“As for Estelle? She had bruises and scrapes all over her, but she never complained or cried. No, she just dusted herself off and went straight back into the fight every time Joshua knocked her into the ground. Still, she already had a competitive streak going on and wanted to teach her ‘little brother’ a lesson. After trading a few more blows and parries, Estelle suddenly feinted and caught Joshua off guard. She took the opening and gave him a solid whack on the nose.

“‘That was fun, Joshua! Let’s do it again some time!’ was what Estelle said, but she checked on him afterwards to make sure he was okay. In turn, Joshua looked Estelle over as well to make sure he didn’t hurt her too badly. That was the start of a long road that led them to where they are today as Bracers and as a couple. Wherever they are now, I’m sure Estelle and Joshua are watching over each other just as Aidios is doing the same for them.”

Cassius then raised his glass, and others followed suit. “Here’s to Estelle and Joshua. Happy birthday, wherever you may be, and may you both return safe and sound!”

“Hear, hear!” Everyone cheered and emptied their drinks. Afterwards, Cassius turned his attention to Kevin.

“Father Kevin, would you like to close with a word of prayer?”

“You read my mind, Cassius!” Kevin grinned and gave a thumbs-up before his expression became more solemn. “Now, let us bow our heads…”

 


	8. Necromancer Lord (1)

**Ruins, Calvard**

As much as Kevin Graham tried not to, he still found himself wrapped up in guilt and self-loathing from time to time after Estelle and Joshua went missing. Reports had indicated a band of Jaegers were hired to retrieve an artifact for an unknown client. Since Kevin was in another part of the country at the time, he had put in a request for the Bracer Guild to snatch the artifact first while Kevin and his team were on their way. It was supposed to be a simple but robust plan to make sure the artifact didn’t fall into the wrong hands.

Supposed to.

By some cruel twist of fate, Estelle and Joshua were closest to the ruins at the time. They took the request and promised Kevin to keep in touch via ARCUS. Their tones became more shaken and frantic as they made their way deeper into the ruins until they were too far underground to be reached. Apparently, the Jaegers had beaten them there and got slaughtered to the last man fighting the ancient abominations that swarmed out of the lower levels. If it wasn’t for a dead Jaeger’s helmet-mounted camera that captured Estelle somehow activating the artifact by touch, Kevin would have assumed she and Joshua had died as well.

_If only I'd told them to stay put. We could have fought off those things if we combined forces. They’d still be here now…_

“Kevin?”

_I need to make this right. I have to get that thing working again…_

“Kevin!” Ries’ voice and a light smack from her briefcase snapped him out of his reverie and back to the present. He turned and found her looking at him, her face etched with concern and worry. “I know you’re beating yourself up again about Estelle and Joshua. It’s not your fault. We didn’t know what was inside, none of us did.”

“We should have known better, but you have a point,” Kevin sighed. “There’s nothing I can do about it now. We need to focus on the task ahead.”

Kevin and his squires had retrieved the artifact from the ruins over a month ago, but they hadn't been able to take a proper look at the ruins back then because of the urgency of the mission and the powerful grotesque-looking monsters within. Now that the Calvardian military had moved in and pacified the area with the help of the Bracer Guild, the area was finally safe to explore.

Even so, Kevin felt a chill going up his spine when he stared at the entrance, an archway covered in strange carvings and flanked by two barbed tentacle statues whose tips wrapped around each other at the arch’s apex. A mere glance into that ancient black cavern brought back memories of dismembered Jaeger corpses, nonsensical carvings on the uneven walls, and the horrendous monsters.

“It appears the higher elements are still active here, even with the absence of those monsters.” Ries spoke up, referring to the telltale symptoms of areas where the fabric of reality were the weakest.

“There haven’t been any new reports of attacks, though. That’s a good sign,” Kevin replied, partly to reassure himself that the misshapen fleshy _things_ he and his team fought won’t appear again any time soon.

“Should we go in?” Ries asked, a hint of apprehension in her voice.

“Give Zin another five minutes. He said he’d meet us at the entrance,” Kevin said. “Worst comes to worst, we go inside to find him. I’m sure the roaming army patrols know where he is.”

“Kevin? Ries? It’s been a while since we last met.” A deep booming voice came from within the archway. Soon, a tall heavy-set man wearing Eastern clothing strode out of the shadows, turning off his headlamp as he walked. He was Zin Vathek, a highly experienced Bracer and martial artist. He was also one of Cassius’ most reliable allies and one of many Bracers who helped mentor Estelle and Joshua when they first started.

“Zin! How have you been, buddy?” Kevin Graham strode towards Zin and got himself wrapped in a bearhug.

“I’m doing well, Father Kevin,” Zin replied, letting go of Kevin before turning his attention to Ries. “Good to see you again as well, Sister Ries. Did you two send my regards to Cassius at the party a couple of days ago?”

“Yeah. He was a bit bummed out, but he understood why you couldn't come. Gotta make sure Estelle and Joshua are actually home for their next birthday, after all.” Kevin dropped his smile and assumed a more serious expression. “Now, time for business. How’s the investigation so far?”

“Not much to report since the last update. I got Killika to pull some strings to look into the dead Jaegers, but she hasn’t gotten back to me yet,” Zin replied. “Looked like most of them were torn apart and eaten alive. Not a good way to go. Gives me the creeps just thinking about it.”

“Let’s pray your friend can find some answers soon,” Kevin said. “Say, where are the other Bracers anyway? I thought you had a whole team?”

“I do, but the turnover rate is terrible. This place creeps people out, especially the younger ones. Plus, I can’t keep the same people here forever since everybody has talents that are sorely needed across every branch. The new team arrived yesterday and are exploring the interior with your hired help who got here a couple of hours ago.” Zin paused for a few seconds before continuing. “Not that I don’t trust your judge of character, but why did you hire Colonel Richard of all people? Wouldn’t fellow Gralsritter members be more suited for investigating artifacts?”

“Don’t get me wrong, Zin. I’d trust every single member of my order with my life, but Colonel Richard’s R&A Research has eyes and ears in places the church can’t reach.” Kevin replied. “Having a fresh set of eyes on this case will hopefully get us more clues about what happened and how to get Estelle and Joshua back sooner.”

“A fair assessment,” Zin nodded. “Pardon me if the question is too strange, but how does this place make you feel? I recall you mentioning back in Phantasma that you can sense the activity of higher elements?”

“Yeah, Ries and I can definitely feel the higher elements active, all right. That explains why there were some pretty freaky monsters here,” Kevin replied. “There’s something else, though. It feels like there’s something ancient and evil in the air.”

“Could it be one of the Seventy-Seven Devils like the ones we encountered in Phantasma?” Zin asked.

“I wish that was the case because I’m actually familiar with them,” Kevin replied. “This feels like something else entirely…”

A shiver suddenly shot up Kevin’s spine as he heard footsteps approach. He and Ries quickly turned towards the entrance and drew their weapons. The two of them gazed intently into the dark tunnel that led further underground. Soon, three dots of light shone from the darkness, and the two relaxed once they recognized the owners of those headlamps.

The man in the middle was wearing a set of coveralls, a hardhat, and a sheathed Eastern-style sword that hung from the belt on his waist. He was Alan Richard, a former colonel in the Liberlian Army and founder of the private investigation agency R&A Research. The woman on his left had short black hair and wore martial arts clothing while the woman on his right had long silver hair and had an elegant green-and-white outfit. They were respectively Lynn and Aeolia, Bracers who used to work in Crossbell before the Imperial occupation forced them to relocate.

“Is something the matter?” Richard asked. “Why were your weapons drawn?”

“My apologies, Colonel,” Ries beat Kevin to a reply. “An evil unlike anything we have seen before permeates these ruins. Even being around the entrance makes us uneasy.”

“Yeah, what she said. Sorry about that, guys.” Kevin then noticed the shaken look on Aeolia’s face. “Aeolia, right? I think we briefly met when I gave Lloyd and the others a hand in Crossbell a few months back. Everything okay? You look kind of spooked out.”

“As a licensed doctor, I found these walls incredibly suspicious ever since I first arrived,” Aeolia said with a shaking voice. “After closer examination of the interior, I can safely say that these so-called stones are actually fossilized flesh from some unknown creature.”

“You…you seriously mean we were inside some giant monster’s stomach? This…ugh…this is wrong on so many levels.” Kevin felt dizzy as a wave of nausea washed all over his body. He almost wished he was back in that virtual copy of hell the Recluse Cube had created. He checked on Ries and noticed her face, which was white as a sheet, carried a look of utter disgust.

“We…we should expand our investigation. There is simply too much we don’t know,” She barely spoke above a whisper, and Kevin could tell she was trying to distract herself from Aeolia’s horrifying revelation.

 

“I believe this is where my expertise comes in. R&A Research has informants throughout Western Zemuria, and that extends to certain figures within the Calvardian government. Allow me some time, and I’m sure I will have some clues we can work off of. I believe the dead Jaegers as well as their employer would be with a good start,” Richard said.

“Informants, huh? That gives me an idea. I work with one of the only remaining active Bracers in Erebonia from time to time. Apparently, he knows a guy who’s an information broker that’s helped him plenty of times in the past. I’ll give him a call later today,” Zin said, before turning to Lynn and Aeolia. “Can I trust the two of you to look into local folklore to see if there’s any legends surrounding this area? Anything would help.”

“In that case, I’ll pull some strings on the church side of things to see if there’s any mention of the artifact in ancient texts. Hopefully we’ll gain some insight into how it works," Kevin said. “Zin, Ries, let’s go take another look inside. I think Richard and his two friends earned a break.”

* * *

 

**Hamlet**

Estelle spent two days after her return from the Warrens recovering from the mother of all hangovers caused by the sheer amount of liquor her new friends gave her in celebration of her 19th birthday. After asking around the day after the party, it turned out Estelle had flown into an angry drunken rant about the swine after a few mugs of beer and a couple of measures of some unknown liquor. She had then declared an eating contest to “teach those freaky bastards a lesson” which completely depleted the Hamlet’s pork supply but greatly fattened the tavern owner’s coffers. Luckily the Caregivers Conference was ending, and the visitors avoided the inconvenience of having no more bacon or ham to consume. All things considered, a good time was had by all.

After her relaxing days and getting her usual outfit cleaned and returned to her, Estelle decided to train some more at the Guild. Part of it was to keep her skills sharp, but the other (and most important) part was to distract herself from the gaping, aching, Joshua-shaped hole in her heart. Since an expedition had already left, Estelle could only hope they would find some sign of Joshua during their mission.

“Pardon me, Estelle. May I ask something of thee?” Reynauld asked her as she stepped inside.

“Sure, what’s on your mind?”

“I conversed with Junia and Damian regarding thy performance in previous expeditions, and they all spoke highly of thy skills. As a fellow warrior, I humbly request to spar with thee,” Reynauld said.

“Sure thing! Beating up training dummies all the time is kind of boring anyway.” Estelle grinned. She appreciated the fact Reynauld was upfront with her about his request rather than mincing his words. The two of them went to get wooden training weapons and spoke to Barristan regarding their plans, who heartily agreed and even roped in Tardif to act as a referee. With preparations complete, Estelle, Reynauld, and Tardif went to the empty patch of land behind the blacksmith’s workshop.

“Rules are simple. One round, end upon knockout or first blood,” Tardif said dryly. “Begin.”

“I’ll go easy on you, Reynauld. I won’t be using Arts whatsoever.” Estelle grinned as she circled Reynauld, staff at the ready and looking for the first chance to pounce.

“Show me thine wrath, Estelle!” Reynauld yelled. “Thou cannot pierce this bulwark of faith!”

Estelle continued to circle Reynauld as she eyeballed his longsword. She quickly adjusted her grip, extending her reach beyond Reynauld’s. With a roar, she swung her staff downwards only for Reynauld to block it with his sword. A deep thud sounded as the two weapons collided and the force of it shivered up Estelle's arms.

The impact left her bones tingling, making Estelle grunt, but it also knocked Reynauld's sword aside. She took advantage of that opening by firmly thrusting her staff towards his faceplate like a battering ram.  Weapon struck armor with a gong-like clang, but Reynauld didn’t react and simply swung his blade at Estelle's torso.

She managed to duck and roll at the last second, feeling the 'swoosh' of the blade as it sliced overhead. Estelle stood and darted backwards out of his reach. She had fought other swordsmen before in both spars and actual fights, and Reynauld seemed to rely more on brute strength and durability rather than speed.

You got this, Estelle. Your staff has a longer reach than his sword. Force an opening, wear him down, and keep him away from sword range. With a strategy in mind, Estelle went for a hit and run approach. Swing, hit, then dodge. A few of her hits connected, while Reynauld managed to parry others. Estelle guessed Reynauld was surveying her weaknesses too, as expected of an experienced veteran.

Estelle’s latest swing was met by one from Reynauld’s sword. Their weapons locked together in a brief stalemate until Estelle felt Reynauld’s sword seemingly give out, but she was too far into her swing to react to his split-second faint. Reynauld’s blade slid along her staff, aimed straight at her. Estelle’s sternum felt like it was kicked by a horse as his thrust knocked the air out of her lungs. The blow caused her to stagger backwards and trip over. _Crap! He’s faster than I thought!_

 “Five…four…three…” Tardif started to count down to her defeat. Not one to give up easily, Estelle inhaled sharply before jumping back up.

 _This guy's got experience. Probably fought spearmen during his Crusades. Should have seen that one coming,_ Estelle thought as she shuffled away from him. While time was more of a wild card in the sense it allowed both her and Reynauld to adjust their tactics, distance was firmly on her side.

“Is this all thy strength?” Reynauld taunted her. “Can the mighty Bracer not endure more than a few mere swipes from a piece of wood?”

"Takes more than just a poke to knock me down!" Estelle taunted back. "Come on, charge me already!"

Reynauld simply held his position and watched her like a hawk as she circled him. Estelle could tell both of them were trying to figure out ways to beat each other on the fly. _Time for something crazy._

Estelle lowered her grip, holding the staff nearer the end, and began swinging it back and forth in wide, strong arcs, advancing on Reynauld with a series of animalistic grunts and roars. Clangs rang out like cannons firing in quick succession as the strength of her blows blasted through his blocks and smashed into his armour, forcing him back inch by inch. She wanted him to think she was out of control, desperate to end the fight, and just as she hoped, Reynauld was experienced enough to weather the storm and wait for the right opening.

And then the opening came. Reynauld suddenly thrust forward after parrying one of her blows, but she was ready for it and swiftly rolled to the side. Reynauld bowled straight past her and as she rose from her roll, she swung her staff around with all her might, catching him in the back. Combined with his own momentum, the blow caused him to stumble and fall, weighed down by his heavy armour. Before he could get up, Estelle stepped on his back with one foot and gave his helmet a quick tap with her staff.

“Five…”

Reynauld grunted and tried to stand, only for her to give his helmet a slightly more powerful downward smack.

“Four…”

He struggled some more and tried to flip himself over, only for Estelle to go on her knees to pin him down.

“Three…”

Keeping one hand on her staff, Estelle used her free hand to pin his left arm to his back.

“Two. One. Match,” Tardif said. “Congratulations, Estelle.”

“That was an excellent duel, Estelle,” Reynauld said, still pinned down. “Thou art quite the nimble foe.”

“You’re pretty sturdy yourself, Reynauld.” Estelle smiled as she stood up. “You’re not hurt too badly, are you? I did give you a couple of hits on the head.”

“Not at all, but I do appreciate thy concern. This suit of armor has served me well during my campaigns abroad,” Reynauld replied and shook Estelle’s hand. “Come, let us go enjoy some refreshments. Thou art invited as well, Tardif.”

“Whatever, it’s not like I have anything better to do.” Tardif shrugged and followed the two of them to the tavern. They noticed the stagecoach had returned, and Paracelsus was there along with the Heir. The door opened, and out came an older man with shoulder-length grey hair and wearing a purple outfit with a yellow vest.

“It has been a while,” Paracelsus greeted the older man before walking away with him. “Come with me. I have much to show you.”

“What was that about?” Estelle asked the Heir after the two were out of earshot.

“The first expedition to the Farmstead brought back certain peculiar minerals, and the Plague Doctor decided to contact someone from her former institution for further research,” the Heir replied.

Before Estelle could say anything else, four more people exited the stagecoach’s cabin. Three of them wore armor similar to Reynauld’s while the fourth person wore a bronze-coloured mask and armor in addition to a hood-like white shroud. The broken half of what must have been a gigantic sword was strapped his back.

“How now, my brothers!” Reynauld said enthusiastically as he greeted the three other Crusaders. “What brings the three of you to this humble place?”

“We have answered the local abbot’s call to arms, Brother Reynauld,” one of them replied. “Once more, we shall follow your lead into battle.”

“This is truly a joyous occasion!” Reynauld exclaimed before turning to the Heir and Estelle. “My Lord, Estelle, these are three of my most trusted men during my campaigns. All of them are skilled warriors and stalwart servants of the Light.”

“A pleasure.” The Heir nodded at the three new Crusaders before turning his attention to the fourth figure. “What about you, good sir? Are you with them too?”

“To a certain extent.”

“Wait, that voice! Could it really be?” Reynauld suddenly got on one knee and bowed his head. “My liege, I was not aware…”

“Please rise, old friend. There is no more need to grovel before me,” the masked man said. “I am Baldwin, a Leper and nothing more.”

“My Lord, this man here is one of the finest warriors I have ever fought alongside.” Reynauld got up and turned to the Heir. “Like my three brothers, I offer nothing but the highest praise for his skills and character.”

“Very well, then. All of you, please follow me. We have much to discuss,” the Heir said, and everyone except Estelle and Tardif followed him.

“I’m going to have a drink. You coming?” Tardif asked Estelle before turning towards the tavern.

“Nah, I’ll join you later. I got something to ask first,” Estelle replied before turning her attention to the driver. “Did you pick up a fishing rod by any chance?”

“That thing old Margen told me to pick up? Nope, couldn’t find any, sorry,” The driver replied. “I’m going for another trip next week, so make sure to check with me then.”

“All right, thanks anyway.” Estelle sighed before heading to the tavern for some lunch.

* * *

 

The rest of the week was rather uneventful, save for the fact that the previous week’s expedition never returned. Estelle didn’t know the four who went well enough, but she still felt a pang of sadness over their presumed deaths. The depressive atmosphere around the Hamlet was a far cry from the cheerful mood of the Caregivers Convention that had taken place mere days ago. Still, life went on, and Estelle found herself in the Heir’s office with three others.

The first person was a blonde woman who wore a tall-crowned hat, grey jacket, brown pants, and shin-high hiking boots. Several knives, darts, a pickaxe, and assorted other gadgets hung from a utility belt she wore on her waist. She was Audrey the Grave Robber, and she seemed to be good friends with Margaret.

“Pleased to finally go on a run with you, dear,” Audrey said, tipping her hat at Estelle. “Margaret told me all about you.”

The second person was a bearded man with the darkest skin tone Estelle had ever seen, Schera included. He wore a sand-colored turban and robes. An ornate dagger hung from his belt, and he carried a skull with a candle on top. Whatever the reason may be, Estelle felt a bit creeped out.

“I am Abdul the Occultist, and it’s a pleasure to make your acquaintance,” he said with a strange accent. “Please do not be alarmed at the skull. It is merely a tool, nothing more.”

The third person was a woman whose skin was slightly lighter than Abdul’s. A spear and shield were strapped to her back. She wore an outfit that exposed her stomach and seemed to be designed to be as light as possible. The thing that stood out the most to Estelle was her left arm, which ended with a bandaged stump instead of a hand. Estelle wondered what caused it. Judging from the bags under her eyes, Amani hadn’t been sleeping well for at least a few months.

“Greetings, I am Amani the Shieldbreaker,” she said in an accent similar to Abdul’s. “May our performance be blessed with success.”

“Now that you are all here, I can finally divulge the details for this week’s expedition,” the Heir said. “As you may know, the Old Road isn’t the only way for supplies to reach the Hamlet. Goods are also transported by sea, but the fish-men’s dark magic has made that route just as dangerous as the Old Road, if not more.

“Scouts from previous expeditions have pinpointed the locations of three dormant protective wards that will make the sea safer to traverse, even if it’s only for a limited period of time.” The Heir then gestured at the three glowing yellow jars on the desk. “Simply pour the contents of one jar onto a ward, and it will activate. May success and good fortune go with you. Now if you’ll excuse me, I need to chair a strategy meeting about that bothersome Farmstead which killed your four comrades.”

* * *

 

The team convened among themselves after the meeting. The others told her some of the enemies are highly durable and dangerous, so Estelle made sure her ARCUS was set up to enhance her attack power and physical protection. Once preparations were made and provisions gathered, the team headed out of the Hamlet and hugged the coast until they reached the dark watery caverns known as the Cove.

The interior was dark, humid, and ancient. Even with torches, the team couldn’t see very far ahead of them. Natural rock formations were interspersed with seemingly man-made structures that hosted carvings of various sea creatures both natural and otherwise. Estelle loved the refreshing salty smell of sea breeze, which made Ruan one of her favorite places to visit, but the Cove smelled _wrong_. The salt and moisture in the air made everything smell fetid and rancid, like rotting fish.

“Don’t you girls feel cold wearing so little?” Audrey quipped as they traversed the dark caverns.

“Like Abdul, I came from a land known for the scorching desert sun,” Amani replied. “Such coolness is welcome.”

“Not gonna lie, I do feel kind of chilly,” Estelle replied. “Problem is, I don’t have anything else.”

“That shall change the moment we get back, dear,” Audrey said cheerfully. “Maggie and I will take you to the town seamstress.”

“As long as I get something orange.” Estelle chuckled a little. “You know, I was joking with Barristan about evil fish men during that swine attack, but I never knew that was actually a thing.”

“Those eldritch creatures are not to be underestimated. Their warriors run the gamut from nimble to durable, and all are deadly in their own ways. Their shamans are capable of dark rituals and healing their allies. They also bring strange sea beasts and even the enslaved corpses of the drowned into battle,” Abdul said.

“Wait, enslaved corpses?” Estelle said, remembering the fungal monstrosities she fought in the Weald. “You mean like those mushroom men?”

“No, not quite, although I have fought the Weald’s denizens before,” Abdul replied. “Unlike the witches’ coven, the pelagic shamans use magic unknown even to me instead of corrupted fungi.”

“Guess I better get my notebook ready,” Estelle quipped. “I fought seaside monsters before, but we don’t have homicidal fishmen where I’m from.”

“Your home sounds like paradise, then,” Abdul said. “By the way, word has reached me of your ‘orbment’ and ‘arts’. If we have the time, I’d like to learn more about your strange magicks.”

“I hate to burst your bubble, but Orbal Arts aren't really magic, and I’m not some super witch or anything like that,” Estelle replied. “An orbment is just a tool like a shovel or a gun, nothing magical about it. It’s treated more as a science where I’m from.”

“Worry not, I am not disappointed by your answer. I’m rather even more fascinated. Like Paracelsus, I’m a learned scholar myself. Magic, science, they occupy two sides of the same coin,” Abdul said sagely. “I dabbled in some alchemy myself before settling on my current…field of studies.”

“I…guess? Sorry, all that book crap is a bit over my head. I can barely wrap my head around how orbments work,” Estelle sounded a bit dejected, remembering every time Tita tried to explain to her an orbment’s inner workings. “Maybe I can cast some Arts when we get into a fight and give you a demonstration.”

“That would suffice. Thank you for indulging my curiosity,” Abdul nodded. A few seconds of silence passed before he spoke up again. “As this expedition’s healer, I must warn you that my methods may be somewhat disturbing to behold and may not always work as intended. I apologize in advance.”

“Huh? What are you talking about?” Estelle asked.

“I rely on the technique known as Wyrd Reconstruction to heal wounds. The power behind it can be somewhat…varied,” Abdul said.

“Thanks for warning me. Guys, let’s stop for a bit,” Estelle said before digging out her quartz case and swapping out one of the quartz to give her access to some low-level healing Arts in exchange for giving up a speed bonus. “There, better safe than sorry. Let’s keep going, the first ward should be behind those stone doors with tentacles on them.”

Estelle and Amani pushed the doors open, allowing Abdul and Audrey to rush inside together. Four green-scaled fishmen with cutlasses and harpoons were congregated around one of the inactive wards, and Audrey wasted no time in throwing a dart towards one of them. The dart’s tip stabbed into its torso and the liquid within promptly drained into its system, causing the fishman to snarl in pain.

Meanwhile, Abdul raised his skull and chanted in some unknown language. A glowing sigil appeared on another fishman’s torso before several spots lit up on its body. Amani held her good arm forward, and Estelle thought she saw a translucent snake springing forth from her arm and biting into the marked fishman. It stumbled around weakly for a couple of seconds before keeling over dead.

Not to be outdone, Estelle swung her staff at a third fishman only for it to parry away her staff with its cutlass before charging at her. Estelle sidestepped at the last second before swinging her staff at the back of its head, knocking the fishman to the ground. That strike gave Abdul the opening he needed to plunge a knife into its neck, killing it.

With only two fishmen remaining, Estelle and Amani charged towards one of them while Audrey threw a knife at the one she'd nicked with her poison dart earlier. They made short work of them, and the cave became quiet once more.

“These are pelagic groupers. You can think of them as the fishmen’s light infantry,” Abdul explained while Estelle jotted down the details in her Bracer notebook. In the mean time, Audrey poured one of the glowing jars onto the ward, activating it. “They fight up close with their cutlasses, and their harpoons allow them to reach further foes.”

“Guess I don’t need a fishing rod if I’m catching these kinds of fish,” Estelle quipped. “I’m guessing I can’t eat them?”

“It is not something that had ever been attempted, and I advise against it,” Abdul replied. “The flesh may have corruptive properties. Legends say those who eat them will become one of the pelagic nightmares themselves.”

Estelle blanched at Abdul’s words. “Eww! What the hell is up with these things? Guess it’s catch and kill for those guys.”

As they made their way down a particularly dark tunnel, they suddenly heard chittering coming from the darkness ahead. It took Estelle a couple of seconds to realize that they sounded exactly like the skeletal foes she encountered in the Ruins. Soon, a hulking bone commander appeared, flanked by two bone soldiers with a bone courtier trailing behind them.

“What the hell? They’re not supposed to be here!” Audrey exclaimed before throwing a dart at the bone commander. It broke apart upon hitting its armor, spraying corrosive blight all over it. Meanwhile, Estelle dashed one of the bone soldiers to pieces. She narrowly avoided a strike from the bone commander’s mace and saw Amani had dispatched the other bone soldier with ease.

“Come on, guys! We only got two to go!” Estelle called out as she swung her staff at the bone commander and cracked its armor, allowing Audrey to stab her pickaxe even deeper into the large skeleton. Out of the corner of her eye, Estelle saw the bone courtier getting ready to splash her with its tempting goblet.

“Oh no, you don’t!” Estelle narrowly avoided the rancid wine and closed the distance, forcing the bone courtier to backpedal. It unsheathed a knife to try to parry her blows, only for Estelle to completely shatter its knife arm. Before it could retreat, Amani charged and stabbed the spear straight through its sternum, pulverizing the torso and killing it.

Estelle and her companions turned their attention towards the bone commander who was trying to make a last stand. Abdul raised his skull and recited an incantation, causing the bone commander’s armor to glow and visibly soften. Audrey then threw her knife at one of the corroded spots before Estelle and Amani charged. The bone commander frantically tried to parry away the blows of the two women, but it could no longer muster the strength it once had. Within seconds, the bone commander clattered to the ground in a pile of shattered bones and metal.

“Everyone okay?” Estelle asked as she surveyed the damage. She thought back to the incident in the Weald with the pile of destroyed skeletons and how her present companions seemed just as suspicious and spooked as Junia had been back then.

“This is not a good omen,” Abdul said. “Normally we only get bone rabble venturing far from the Ruins. That’s the folks with clubs, by the way.”

“Yeah, what he said,” Audrey picked up from Abdul. “And the bone rabble tend to just wander aimlessly. This feels far more organized. They have a bone commander leading the troops and a bone courtier supervising everyone else.”

“Does this mean there’s a bone king somewhere who’s organizing everything?” Estelle asked.

“No, not a bone king. A necromancer, like the ones our friends Reynauld and Dismas had dispatched in the past,” Abdul said, and Estelle found herself shuddering upon hearing the word ‘necromancer’. She remembered what Reynauld said about them, and how angry he seemed back then.

“That is the only explanation as to why they are so organized and why more powerful undead have been dispatched outside the Ruins. For what reason I do not know yet,” Abdul continued. “Let us continue on our mission, but we need to report this matter once we return. An expedition to the Ruins will perhaps uncover more about this matter.”

“Agreed. They might not be the only skeletal raiding party,” Audrey said, and the group swiftly departed the battlefield. They quickly found themselves in another room with a protective ward. Unlike the last one, it was unguarded. The group made quick work pouring out a second jar onto the ward and activating it.

“According to the map made by the cartographer camp, we are quite far from the final ward. Shall we press on or shall we make camp?” Abdul asked.

“I still feel quite energetic, and I’d rather not go sleep any time soon,” Amani said.

“As do I,” Audrey replied.

“Same here,” Estelle said.

“Very well, then. Let us get going,” Abdul said and they went on their way.

They traversed the fetid tunnels and caverns, battling both maritime and skeletal enemies along the way. The successive fights had left them winded and worn out, but they were able to pick up some loot along the way that would help finance the Hamlet’s activities. Soon, they found themselves in front of another door. With tired grunts, they pushed the ancient stone doors open and found themselves facing four giant snails that were about half as tall as Estelle.

“Beware the sea maggots. Their shells make them highly resistant to damage,” Abdul warned Estelle as they stared the animals down.

“What are you talking about? Those are just snails,” Estelle said.

“Nay, we refer to them as sea maggots. To be honest, I am quite ignorant on the origins of that name as well. Let’s just get this over with,” Abdul said as he raised his skull and cast a spell to weaken one of them. The sea maggots’ tough shells were no match for Estelle’s armor-cracking blows, Amani’s spear, and Audrey’s pickaxe which all went through their carapace like wet paper.

“I think we can call it a night here,” Estelle said. “Let’s make camp.”

As with previous expeditions, Estelle handled the cooking. She surveyed the chamber and noticed it contained a moon pool of sorts which seemed to connect to the sea. Estelle saw several large healthy-looking fish swimming in the pool and squealed in delight.

“It’s good to see you in high spirits. Did you find treasure?” Audrey asked Estelle when she came back to the campfire.

“Not quite, just fish. But this means I can bring my fishing rod whenever it arrives and catch some food,” Estelle replied. “Of course, I’ll let someone like Abdul or Paracelsus have a look to make sure they are actually safe to eat first.”

“That would be a wise course of action,” Abdul said. “For the time being, please keep silent. There’s something I must do.”

He closed his eyes and bowed his head, seemingly in prayer. Suddenly, his head shot up and eyes opened, completely white from the eyeballs rolled all the way back. Spittle flew out of Abdul’s mouth as he chanted in an unknown language with a voice that wasn’t quite his own. Estelle couldn’t help but stare on in a mix of horror and fascination at the sight, which reminded her of seizure victims. She tried to get up, only for Audrey to gently tug her dress. Estelle looked in her direction, and Audrey shook her head at Estelle and tugged some more in an attempt to get her to sit down. Estelle reluctantly complied, and the demented chanting was over in a few seconds.

“I can never get used to this,” Audrey shuddered.

“Apologies if I scared you, but it was a necessary sacrifice on my part. I had made certain bargains in the past in exchange for powers and knowledge,” Abdul said in his normal voice. “The ward I casted with the help of my ‘benefactors’ means there will be no ambushes upon our camp tonight.”

“O-okay?” Estelle raised an eyebrow apprehensively.

“It’s no use…they will come.” Amani barely spoke above a whisper.

 “Oh, no…not again,” Audrey sighed before inching closer to Amani. “Come on, dear. We’ve made it through this before, and we shall do so again.”

“You-you’re right. It’s just every dream I have, they become stronger,” Amani said. “I must become stronger too, so I can one day be rid of them and be at peace.”

“What do you mean? Who?” Estelle asked.

“My sincerest apologies. As someone undertaking an expedition with me for the first time, there is something you must know. I had been a slave once, and the price for my freedom was steep,” Amani said as she held up the stump that was her left arm. “Ever since then, I have been haunted by nightmares and demons of my past. It is best you prepare yourself to do battle upon your awakening.”

Estelle looked on curiously as Amani chanted in what appeared to be her native tongue. For a split second, phantom snake scales flashed into existence all over her body before disappearing.

 “That spell should protect me better for the fight to come,” Amani said ominously. “Before we sleep, let me share a few secrets with you all on how to exploit weaknesses in the enemy’s defenses, no matter what they may be…”

After Amani's lessons — which seemed more like a sermon — the group slept. Or most of them did, since Estelle was later woken by Audrey's footsteps. “Go back to sleep, dear,” she heard Audrey’s reassuring voice. “I merely scouted ahead a little. Worry not, the tunnel ahead is clear.”

Estelle simply rolled over and went back to sleep, dreaming once more about Joshua.

“The desert – it pulls me back!” Amani’s screaming caused Estelle to jolt awake in her bedroll.

“Wait a minute, weren’t we in a cave before?” Estelle shot up and surveyed her surroundings. The Cove had been replaced by what appeared to be an endless expanse of desert, and Estelle and her companions stood next to a ruined carriage which appeared to contain at least two mangled bodies. The night breeze sent chills all over Estelle’s body.

Soon, hisses sounded from behind the dunes and the source of the sounds soon slithered into view. It was three snakes: a cobra, a rattlesnake, and a gigantic adder with two heads. They stared at the group with malice and hunger in their eyes, but the brunt of their gaze was focused on Amani.

“So here they are. Steel yourselves, for they are upon us,” Amani said, a hint of resignation in her voice.

“Don’t worry, Amani. I’ll make sure we all live to see tomorrow. I’m going to pound these snakes into submission!” Estelle said as she readied her staff.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This will be my last chapter before the new year since I'm going to do a bit of traveling. Also, I realized I'm far better at writing gunfights than melee combat.


	9. Necromander Lord (2)

**Farmstead**

“No…I was too late.”

Joshua collapsed to his knees. He had heard a raging battle and hurried towards the source, only for some floating crystalline monstrosity to warp him to an entirely different location. After battling and sneaking his way towards where he thought the battle was, he was greeted with the sight of dismembered human remains. He had hoped to talk to the first human beings he had seen in an eternity, ask where Estelle was, or even run into her. He was disappointed yet again.

“Please, Aidios. Please…don’t let me find Estelle here,” Joshua prayed under his breath as he forced himself to look over the corpses. Crystalline shards were already growing over the rapidly cooling human flesh like some glowing gem-like moss.

“Ah, so we meet again, Joshua,” another familiar voice called out, causing Joshua to whip his head around. A bespectacled black-haired man wearing a robe and wielding a staff. The sight of the man made Joshua’s blood run cold, for it was the spitting image of Georg Weissmann, the deceased 3rd Anguis of Ouroboros and the architect of all of Joshua’s pain.

“I see, so it’s just like _him_ then,” Joshua muttered. “Of course you’d be here.”

Weissmann then went on a rant about something related to him finding a power that dwarfed even the Grandmaster. Joshua never cared for the details as he pounced on his former handler and tormentor, tackling him to the ground. Kevin had told him about how Weissmann died, and part of Joshua had been bitter about not getting his revenge ever since. The phantom copy pinned beneath Joshua was the opportunity he so dearly craved even after all these years.

“This is for Hamel!” Joshua said as he jabbed one of his throwing knives into Weissman’s stomach, cutting his begging short with a bloodcurdling scream. Joshua never knew how much he wanted to hear it until that moment.

“This is for Karin!” Another knife right through where his liver would be.

“This is for Loewe!” Followed by one through his heart.

“And this…this is for trying to make me kill Estelle!” The last one went into Weissmann’s throat. Panting in relief, Joshua got off the corpse. Like all the other enemies he had killed in the strange blue hellscape, no blood came out of Weissmann’s wounds. Instead, glowing dust poured out like sand. The corpse started to fragment and collapse in on itself until it was nothing but a chaotic jumble of rock and crystal.

Joshua roared as he slashed at it until it too broke apart, leaving him feeling somewhat satisfied. He surveyed his surroundings, taking in the sights of the warped field around him and the windmill. It had remained standing despite taking the brunt of the meteor’s impact, with a few pieces even floating in midair.

Joshua walked away from the windmill, knowing that the monstrous Miller was on the prowl. He found himself in front of a ruined fireplace. One of the few truly safe places in the Farmstead. He sat down, resting his head against the wall in exhaustion and frustration, and pulled out his harmonica.

* * *

 

**Cove (?)**

_The knot was sloppy and rough, so I slipped out with ease. The man who tied it was strong, yet brutish. Slaying him with his own weapon was child’s play._

The desert dreamscape was cold and windy, just like it always had been, just like that fateful day. Yet Amani still found herself breaking out in a cold sweat as the familiar hungry gazes of the serpents bore down on her. She could only manage a strangled yelp as the cobra lunged at her. Her normally quick reflexes failed her, just like they always had in those dreams, and the cobra bit into her shoulder before she could parry or dodge.

_“Mad harlot! You…” The driver’s words were quickly replaced by the thunder-like roars of the entire cart tumbling down the hill. I felt every bump and jolt as it reached the bottom._

Amani screamed, half in pain and half in frustration. The cobra drew back as fast as it had struck, avoiding an awkward thrust from her spear. She could feel the venom coursing through her veins already, the familiar burning sensation slowly spreading from her shoulder. Her pulse quickened even more, speeding the spread of the poison. A knife sailed from behind her at the cobra, only for its rattlesnake companion to knock it away with its tail before springing past Amani towards the blade’s owner.

_I was the only survivor, yet my left hand had been pinned by the debris. The accursed serpent struck soon after._

She heard Audrey’s curses and the rattlesnake’s angry hisses as the two grappled, yet Amani could only stare straight ahead at her would-be predators. Her vision was beginning to blur, and her legs were beginning to weaken. Even when gigantic the two-headed adder brandished the familiar quills on the top of one head at her, Amani could do nothing but slowly raise her spear and whimper. A phantom pain flared up in the stump that was her left arm as it struck.

_The sound of breaking bone was drowned out by my screams. Then came the sawing. I worked quickly, for I feared what would happen should the venom run its course._

“No!” The new girl’s (Estelle, right?) voice cried out as she jumped in front of Amani. Her staff met the attacking head. A resounding crack ensued, causing Amani to jolt. Estelle turned and smiled at Amani, holding a strange metal talisman in her hand. It glowed warmly for a split second before a refreshing wave washed over Amani, flushing away the spreading poison in her blood and the weakness in her limbs. Before Amani could say anything, Estelle turned her attention back towards the cobra and the adder.

“I’m the one you want, you scaly freaks! Come get some!” Estelle challenged the adder and the cobra as she held her staff in front of her in a defensive stance. The two-headed adder struck first, wasting no time lunging at Estelle, venom dripping from the fangs in its gaping twin maws. With practiced ease, Estelle simply twirled her staff horizontally and forced the ends into both mouths. The gigantic snake hissed as it bit down on the staff, trying to force Estelle back only for her to continue to stand her ground. An eerie glow surrounded the snake as a phantom sigil flashed over it.

“I have cast the weakening curse, Amani,” she heard Abul calling out to her. “Finish it!”

Inspired and encouraged by Estelle coming to her defense, Amani hefted her spear with renewed strength and stabbed at the head on Estelle’s right. The thick scales, already softened by Abdul’s curse, provided no protection against her spear as it punctured its chin and penetrated straight upwards through its skull, killing the head. Before she could pull out the spear, another hiss sounded from her right. Amani turned towards the source and found the cobra lunging straight at her, only to get skewered by a bloodied pickaxe and flung to the ground.

“It takes more than some snakes to take me down, dear.” Having dealt with the rattlesnake, Audrey flashed a smile at Amani before unsheathing a dagger and jabbing it into one of fallen cobra’s eyes. That gave Amani the opening she needed to pull out the spear, pirouette to Estelle’s left, and jam it into the other head straight through an eye socket. Moments later, the desert dreamscape faded away, leaving behind two sheets of gleaming scales as well as a sheathed obsidian dagger. Amani put away the scales inside her pack and tucked the dagger into her belt.

“What are the scales for?” Estelle asked as she examined Amani’s new haul with curiosity.

“These?” Amani pulled one sheet of scales back out. “These are aegis scales. They absorb blows meant for you no matter how strong it could be. Very helpful for dangerous foes.”

“See? That wasn’t so bad now, was it?” Audrey gave Amani a light smack between the shoulder blades. “Looks like you got some more gifts out of the fight.”

“Yes, I suppose so,” Amani said before turning her attention to Estelle again and bowing. “My sincerest apologies for bringing you into my nightmares, and sincerest thanks for protecting me when I was at my worst. I am sure you are dying for answers as to what happened.”

“Come on, now. Don’t be so formal. We’re all in this together, so of course I’ll protect you. We’re friends now, aren’t we?” Estelle smiled as she awkwardly scratched the back of her head. “And take it easy. You don’t have to tell me anything if you don’t feel comfortable.”

“Yes, I suppose we are,” Amani said, feeling a huge weight coming off her shoulders. “Come, let us sit. Comfort or not, this is a story I must tell so I can make peace with my past and end these nightmares once and for all.

“I was a dancer once, in a distant desert kingdom. I suppose my skills were adequate at best, and my appearance appealing to men. The combination of the two made me a highly desirable act in various nobles’ courts. My performances caught the eyes of one vizier. He must have coveted me for himself, for I was drugged one night at the inn I was staying at and found myself as a captive in a treasure-laden carriage.

“I recognized the path well as I had performed in his palace before. He must have seen me as nothing but another treasure he could have all for himself and his men. One of which was my jailer and stared at me with lustful eyes the entire journey. Yet I refused to succumb to my fate. I slew the jailer with his own weapon before attempting to wrestle control of the carriage from the driver, only for all us to tumble down the mountainside path straight to the bottom.

“I was the only one who lived, but it was a cruel mercy. My left hand…it was trapped under the rubble. A viper soon slithered by and sank his fangs into that hand. I had to make a choice, escape a cripple or die with my body whole. The cut…the breaking bone…my stump still aches time to time, especially during those dreams, and I always hear the hisses and the tearing of flesh in my dreams.

“The path of the dancer was forever closed to a maimed one such as myself, so I focused my attention on the art of war instead. I regained my reputation soon after not as a dancer, but as a sellsword. I suppose I have my previous vocation to thank for my abilities, but there is something else. Some mysterious force which lived the desert preserved my life and honed what remained of my body, yet it seems it has come to collect its price.

“While I’ve always had those dreams, it appears they only become real whenever I traverse these accursed lands. Perhaps my benefactor decided to collect his price.”

“Or it could be the source of the corruption that plagues this entire fiefdom that is causing your dreams to manifest,” Abdul said.

“In case you’re curious, Estelle, Abdul is a close friend and has been helping me decipher these dreams,” Amani said. “He has put forth this theory before, but there has been no definitive proof either way. Estelle, I hope you understand the perils of journeying with me from now on.”

Amani looked down, thinking back to an expedition that had gone poorly where everyone had reached their breaking points. After fending off a wave of those nightmarish serpents, Reynauld had launched into an anger-filled speech about how she was possessed by demons and that she was merely an agent of the same pagan army he fought against.  A steady hand on her shoulder interrupted those memories, and Amani saw Estelle had walked over and sat next to her.

“Amani, it’s cool. I’ve dealt with something like this before. A couple of years ago, I was pulled into this weird alternate dimension that was based on a good friend’s dark side or something,” Estelle explained. “Did I see his ugly side? Sure did! Did I cut him out of my life? Hell no! He was fighting and hurting to get over his ugly side and terrible past, and I can tell you’re doing the same thing. Next time you’re going on a run, bring me too. I’ll help you kick some scaly asses.”

Amani couldn’t help but smile under her veil at the cocky grin Estelle flashed, and she looked towards Audrey.

“Looks like we got ourselves a little snake-hunting party going,” Audrey quipped. “Maybe we should invite Margaret along too.”

“She’ll chomp at the bit when she hears about the chance to shoot snakes,” Estelle said before suddenly pausing and her smile slowly faded. “Amani, you mentioned this creepy vizier guy wanted you all to himself, right? First things first, what’s vizier? Second, is he still after you?”

“A vizier is a noble in the land I’m from.,” Amani replied. “As for your second question, I have heard rumors of his wrath when he heard I had slipped out of his grasp. Escaping his reach was one of the reasons why I came here in the first place. My instincts tell me he has not given up yet, however.”

“Well, if anybody tries to kidnap you, they’ll have my staff to answer to,” Estelle said. “Come on, guys. Let’s get going and take care of that last ward. This breeze is making me cold.”

“Very well, let us be on our way,” Amani said as she got up.

* * *

 

The path to the final ward was guarded by a few pelagic groupers, which the group dispatched with ease. They had also picked up some treasure along the way which would go a long way in the reconstruction and financing of the Hamlet, or so Estelle was told. Soon, the group came to a stop in front of the heavy stone doors and they all agreed to take a break.

“All right, the final ward should be up ahead.” Abdul said.

“Seems like we got a fight ahead,” Estelle said as she cracked her knuckles and gave her staff a couple of practice swings. “Best stay sharp.”

“You can tell?” Her other three companions asked in unison.

“That’s right,” Estelle said as she took out her ARCUS, opened the lid, and pointed at a round golden gem snugly nestled in one of the sockets. “This is a Detection quartz. It allows me to sense enemies as well as treasure in a nearby area without needing a map. Pretty neat, huh?”

“My life would be so much easier with one of these,” Audrey said. “No enemies would be able to touch me, and I can know where every last ounce of gold in a tomb is.”

“This is such a marvelous machine!” Abdul said. “I take it you can also gain more offensive abilities with this device?”

“Of course! I can drown enemies in lava, shoot icicles, summon lightning, cause an earthquake, and do all kinds of crazy stuff as long as I have the right quartz,” Estelle explained, causing Abdul to whistle in delight. “I’m not sure if you can replicate the technology, though.”

“Please, merely hearing about such wonders from your world is reward enough for me,” Abdul said. “It keeps me humble and motivates me to always improve in my studies.”

“While I do appreciate this conversation, I think our break was long enough,” Audrey said after stretching her legs. “Shall we?”

“Let’s do this and go back,” Estelle nodded, and the group pushed the stone doors open before rushing inside. The final ward was guarded by two pelagic groupers and one creature Estelle had never seen before. It resembled a gigantic crab with barnacles growing on its back and wore a broken ship’s wheel like a collar. What worried her most was the fact its claws were caked in dried blood. Estelle was also able to take a better look at the harpoons the groupers were carrying and saw that they were attached to long ropes coiled around their left shoulders.

“Uca Savage, enemy heavy infantry specializing in making you bleed. Be very careful.” Abdul gave Estelle a hasty explanation while Amani charged at the enemy and Audrey retreated to a safer position before throwing poison darts followed by knives at the giant enemy crab. Estelle joined the fray soon after. She noticed the two groupers were rushing to the giant crab’s aid and adjusted her course accordingly. One of them threw its harpoon at Amani in an attempt to distract her from their crab ally, but Estelle swatted it out of the air. While it was busy pulling back its harpoon via the attached rope, Estelle slammed her staff into its skull, killing it instantly.

Estelle then weaved to the side, narrowly avoiding a slash from the other grouper’s cutlass before turning to face it. The walking fish gargled in some unknown language before charging at her with its sword. Estelle deftly parried away the strike before thrusting straight forward at its face, only for her staff to end up sliding straight into its gaping mouth. Whatever force she put behind that thrust was softened by the enemy’s mouth.

Gargling and snarling, the grouper bit down and tried to pull the staff out of her hand. While Estelle was trying to pull it back out, she saw the grouper reach for its harpoon. Not wanting to be gored by the rusty weapon, Estelle let go of her staff, causing the grouper to stagger backwards and fall flat on its back. The impact made it spit out Estelle’s staff and sent it clattering away from the two of them.

 _Run for my staff? Too far. Arts? It’s already getting back up._ Estelle broke into a sprint, acting on instinct without stopping to consider her best course of action.

“Hee-yah!” Estelle launched into a spinning kick straight at the grouper’s skull just as it sat up, knocking it back down in a daze. She quickly eyed her fallen enemy. _I could grab the harpoon, but unspooling the harpoon is gonna take too long. The cutlass dangling from its wrist will have to do._

Estelle got down on one knee, making sure to plant it straight into where her enemy’s sternum would be. With a rough tug, Estelle snapped the rope the cutlass was dangling from. Before it could fully recover from Estelle’s kick, she lopped off the grouper’s head with one swing of the hijacked cutlass. Satisfied the monster had been put down for good, Estelle quickly ran over and retrieved her staff before reassessing the situation.

Audrey and Abdul were keeping their distance from the Uca Savage, trying to help by throwing more knives or casting hexes. Amani was still dancing her dance of death against the giant enemy crab, whose carapace was dotted with wounds from Amani’s spear as well as Audrey’s throwing knives. Either by a stroke of bad luck or the giant enemy crab becoming used to Amani’s movements, one of its claws met Amani’s skull with a resounding crack, stunning her.

Before Estelle could rush to her aid, the Uca Savage sliced open Amani’s left thigh with its other claw. Amani let out a bloodcurdling shriek as her knees buckled, and she collapsed to the ground.

“No!” Audrey screamed. “Estelle, get her out of there!”

Estelle had already reached Amani by then, having cast a Chrono Drive to speed herself up. As she scooped up the fallen Shieldbreaker and carried her to safety, Audrey ran past in the opposite direction, brandishing her pickaxe to distract the Uca Savage.

Estelle gently set Amani down on the cold stony ground next to Abdul, blanching at the shocking amount of bleeding; both their outfits were soaked scarlet after just a few seconds. Her wound was deep, and Estelle could even see what appeared to be Amani’s femur at the bottom of that bleeding chasm of flesh. A rapidly growing puddle of blood under Amani meant she didn’t have much time left.

“Stand back, and you may wish to avert your gaze,” Abdul said. While Estelle did take a step back, she wanted to keep an eye on Amani. Something about the Occultist’s ominous warning about his healing technique disturbed her and made her think her own healing Arts might be needed just in case. Abdul held the skull above his head and chanted in an unknown language once more. Suddenly, Amani screamed and convulsed as a mass of fleshy tentacles burst out of Amani’s deep wound in a spray of blood. The appendages contorted and squirmed as they tried to reach outside of Amani’s wound before suddenly retreating into her body, leaving the gaping wound in her leg as raw as before. The only difference Abdul’s spell made was Amani’s blood flowing out a little faster.

“What the hell did you do to her?” Estelle shouted, her temper flaring up due to the gravity of the situation. “You just made it worse!"

“I warned you my healing technique can be quite erratic!” Abdul answered, beads of sweat forming on his face. “Please! Give me some time to recover and try again!”

Estelle turned her head and saw Audrey had just pulled out her pickaxe from the Uca Crusher’s stomach. While the enemy had become somewhat sluggish and clumsy from its wounds, it didn’t seem like it would fall any time soon.

“No, there’s no time,” Estelle said as she pulled out her ARCUS and went for a weaker healing Art. It wouldn’t completely restore Amani’s body, but it would be a quick heal and enough to stop the bleeding. A warm blue glow appeared under Amani as bubbles flowed up, seeking out any wound they could find. The ghastly wound on her leg began to close, and blood stopped leaking out. The glow disappeared before the wound could fully close, however, leaving behind something that was more manageable and didn’t bleed.

“This is all I can do for now. Gotta deal with that crab freak first. Do what you need to do to completely heal her,” Estelle told Abdul before she got up and assed the situation with Audrey, and it wasn’t looking good. The Grave Robber was busy trying to pull out her pickaxe from a chink in the Uca Savage’s shell to no avail, leaving her vulnerable to an attack that would most likely cripple Audrey if not killing her outright. _Saving orbal energy can wait, I need to make sure Audrey’s safe!_

Estelle opted for one of her most powerful as well as energy-consuming support Arts: Chrono Burst. A golden clock appeared above Audrey’s head, its ticking hands sped up to dizzying rates. Audrey became a blur soon after, having been drastically sped up by Estelle’s Chrono Burst. The Uca Savage frantically slashed with its claws but failing to land a single hit on Audrey.

“Audrey, get away from that thing! Don’t get caught in my next Art!” Estelle shouted on top of her lungs, her voice echoing throughout the cave. A glowing halo appeared at her feet once more as Estelle got ready to cast one of her more powerful Arts: Dark Matter.

Audrey dashed backwards just in time for a black hole to appear right next to the Uca Savage. The giant crab tried to skitter away, but the black hole’s pull was far too powerful and dragged it towards the event horizon. Cracks soon appeared all over the Uca’s exoskeleton while its limbs flailed frantically in a futile effort to escape. Its protective shell soon buckled inwards, tearing through the tender flesh it was meant to protect. The black hole disappeard seconds after it appeared, leaving behind a mangled corpse.

“I always hated fighting these things, bloody sturdy bastards,” Audrey said as she searched for her pickaxe. She whistled happily after digging it out from the twisted pile of meat and shell fragments.

“No kidding. We got plenty of enemies with tough shells back home,” Estelle said. “I’m usually the bait while others cast Arts on them.”

“You mean like what you just did?” Audrey said. “I must say, speeding up like what you did for me was quite the thrill, and watching that Uca getting crushed by whatever you did after was nothing short of amazing. Thanks for warning me to pull out, I wouldn’t want to get caught in that any time soon. Come on, let’s go check on Amani.”

Fortunately, they found Amani back on her feet and in good health. The wound in her leg had completely healed, leaving only a gash in the fabric and a long wide scar beneath. Both her and Abdul were watching Estelle with wide-eyed amazement.

“That…that was spectacular, but are you all right?” Abdul said. “Magic that powerful must have had some kind of price either on your body or soul.”

“Nah, I’m perfectly okay. Like I said before, Orbal Arts are more technology than magic,” Estelle said as she pulled out her Orbment and swapped in an Ingenuity quartz. “I had to drain a lot of power, though. Nothing a few long walks can't solve. Believe it or not, but there are more powerful Arts out there.”

“I am not surprised by that, but they must seem even more impressive than your display. By the way, my second contempt with Wyrd Reconstruction was a complete success,” Abdul said. “If I may be frank, I have little control over whether the healing is successful and must apologize…”

“Don’t worry about it, what’s done is done,” Estelle said. “Amani, how are you feeling?”

“Quite well, actually,” she replied. “Abdul told me how you used your own technique to heal me before charging back into the fray. I also witnessed how you dispatched that Uca as well, and it was one of the most spectacular shows I have ever seen.”

“Not only did you slay the enemy, but you bought me much-needed to fully heal her,” Abdul said. “We are truly grateful.”

“You might want to bring me along the next time you go on a run,” Estelle told Abdul. “I've got my trusty staff to go up nice and close with, and I can act as a backup healer in case things go south with this ‘Word Rebuilding’ thingy.”

“I’ll certainly take that into consideration. By the way, the proper name of that technique is Wyrd Reconstruction, but we have dallied enough,” Abdul said. “Let us activate the last ward and be on our way.”

With their task complete, the team of four began the trek out of the Cove and back to the Hamlet. They returned the same way they came, giving them a good view of the sea. Estelle noticed that the water was far calmer than before their expedition, with the whitecaps and waves reduced to far more navigable levels.

“The boss is probably sending out letters to merchants saying the waterways are safe to use. For now, at least,” Audrey said. “He’ll probably want to send a different crew back out to clear the Cove some more.”

The trip back to the Hamlet was uneventful, with Estelle collecting her pay, wash up, change into clean clothes, and going for a quick lunch before visiting the general store.

The owner perked up as Estelle entered. “Ah, welcome back to my store, lass.” He flashed a toothy grin as he presented Estelle with a package wrapped in brown paper. “This was dropped off right before you came back.”

“Is…is this what I think it is?” Estelle grinned from ear-to-ear as she eagerly tore off the packaging. It was a fairly primitive rod made of bamboo with a wooden reel. The rod already had a line attached, with a metal hook at the end. There was also a smaller box that contained some backup line and hooks, lead sinkers, and floats. It wasn’t a Lakelord, but it suited Estelle’s needs perfectly fine.

“Yes! Thank you so much!” Estelle couldn’t help but jump in excitement at finally being able to fish again. “Name your price, I got some money right here.”

After finishing their transaction, Estelle bolted out of the general store towards the shore, taking a detour along the way to get some leeches from Paracelsus to use as bait. She saw a small dock that showed some signs of weathering. After using her foot to make sure it wouldn’t collapse on her, Estelle sat down contently with her rod in hand and cast her line for the first time since she arrived in the Hamlet.

_To hell with booze and gambling. This is all I need to unwind._

* * *

 

**Ruins**

Brother Cibus quietly stalked through the lightless halls of the derelict castle. Weeks ago, he and his fellow cultists had received word of their prophet’s demise at the hands of the new lord who had assumed ownership of the Hamlet down the hill. They had waited with bated breath for their seer’s resurrection like the first time he had fallen, but their hopes had been in vain.

To make matters worse, the skeletal legions who formerly tolerated the cult’s presence turned on every living human in the castle. He had witnessed several bone soldiers herd his brothers and sisters inside a chamber before slaughtering them. Their screams still echoed in his mind long after the fact.

How long had it been since then? Days? Weeks? Cibus had no way of telling. All he knew was that he had to get out, but it seemed as if the skeletons had barricaded every exit, waiting to kill anyone who dared to escape their master’s domain. After spending some time skulking in the dark with only the chittering sound of bone and the occasional scream for company, he ended up banding together with a few other brawlers and a couple of acolytes. They told rumors of a secret passage that led from the old castle’s dungeons straight to the abandoned manor on top of the hill. With the skeletons’ attention focused on the surface exits, surely the patrols in the sub-levels would be sparser.

Things had gone well at first, with the motley group being able to avoid their new foes who were so intent on hunting them down. They even had the good fortune of using a band of doomed brigands as distraction while they quietly skulked away from a fight.

Then the acolytes suddenly went mad, raving and ranting about some sudden change in the magic. Both of them were smothered to death, but their screams had already drawn a group of bone arbalests and soldiers their way. Cibus was the only one to escape with his life.

He knew it was a sign from the gods, that he had been chosen to find the promised passage. He descended further, skulking in the dark once more. Cibus recalled bits and pieces of his prophet’s sermon, about how a great power was slumbering beneath that ancient, rumor-shadowed manor, waiting to be reawakened. He would make it there, bring the power back with him, and use it to save his remaining brethren! He would…he would…he…would…

Cibus looked down at the arrow sticking out of his chest, a crippling pain flaring up as he coughed out blood. He collapsed to his knees as his assailant emerged from the shadows, a bone arbalest accompanied by a bone soldier. His vision began to blacken as the bone soldier started to drag him off towards his doom. Cibus could do nothing but waste his remaining breath screaming and cursing his fate amidst the cyclopean stones, never to reach the refuge of the Darkest Dungeon.


	10. Necromancer Lord (3)

Estelle sat stone still on the pier, her eyes fixed on the floater bobbing in the water. The gentle sea breeze blew past her, ruffling her hair, and she sucked in a deep breath of refreshing salt air. With the morning sun warming her skin and the familiar feel of the fishing rod gripped in her hands, she could almost imagine she was back home. How often had she sat just like this on the shores of Lake Valeria or the beaches of Ruan?

It wasn't long before the line twitched and Estelle reeled in her first catch — a small catfish that she took pity on and tossed back into the water. She re-baited the hook and settled comfortably to wait for the next bite.

The scene was so tranquil, so similar to her memories, that Estelle could almost hear Joshua's harmonica playing. He'd often sit with her, keeping her company with his music.

" _Am I interrupting you, Estelle?" Joshua asked her, his harmonica sitting on his lap._

" _Of course not, Joshua!" She grinned at her boyfriend. "If anything, your tunes help me relax and focus."_

It was so peaceful. She enjoyed fishing in any environment, but the sea was her favourite. The background wash of the waves on the shore, the gulls circling in the blue sky above... And as Estelle tossed a salmon into her bucket of catches, she couldn't help but smile as she reflected that the sea also yielded the biggest catches and the tastiest meals. Meals that she and Joshua always shared.

The thought made her hungry, so as the midday sun flitted in and out of the clouds, Estelle took a short break to eat a light lunch before returning to her rod. The fish must have been as affected by the lazy warmth of the afternoon as she was, because they barely resisted as she reeled them in one after the other.

When she bent down to put yet another catch in the bucket only to realise it was nearly full, Estelle looked up in surprise to see the sun crawling towards the western horizon. _When did I...?_ She wiped her forehead in confusion. _Has it really been that long?_

_"Estelle? It's getting late, you know," Joshua said as he snuggled up right next to her. "Not that I mind."_

The floater began to quiver before suddenly sinking below the surface.

" _Huh? What's that?" Joshua asked, peering into the water._

Estelle began to reel it in, but the line went taut as the fish resisted. _You wanna play? I'll play._ She unreeled her line, letting the fish swim away a little, before reeling it back in until the line tightened again. After a couple rounds of tug-of-war, she figured the fish was tired enough, she stood up and paced backwards to pull it out of the water. The fish was heavy enough to bend the rod.

" _Come on, Estelle! You can do it!" The normally stoic Joshua cheered Estelle on as she furiously reeled in her catch._

 _Come on, come on…_ Estelle gritted her teeth as the resistance in her line became even heavier. When she saw the fish's mouth break the surface, Estelle reached for the line and yanked the fish onto the pier. She whistled sharply when she saw the enormous sea bass flapping and floundering on the wood. Caught up in the excitement, Estelle whipped her head around.

"Joshua, look! Check this…out…"

But the pier was empty, and her triumphant excitement gave way to bitter loneliness. She'd only caught something this big a handful of times before, but the victory seemed hollow without Joshua around to celebrate with, cheer her on, or even rib her about her cooking skills when she talked about eating her catch.

With a sigh, Estelle deposited the sea bass in the overflowing bucket and plopped down on the edge of the pier. She cast her line once more and tried to return to that happy, semi-meditative state, but the spell was broken. All the memories that came to mind were bittersweet now.

The two of them having a proper tea party with Renne for the very first time.

The two of them huddled together in the same bed on a cold snowy day.

The two of them kissing on that beach for the very first time.

 _Joshua, Joshua, it all goes back to Joshua…_ Her eyes stung with hot tears, but Estelle blinked them away and focused on reeling in her latest catch. After adding it to her collection, she decided to give up for the day. _Damn it, it just doesn't feel right without Joshua here._

With a long sigh, Estelle packed up her fishing gear and trudged back with her bucket in tow. Her first destination was a small hut that served as Paracelsus' makeshift laboratory. Estelle gave the door a quick knock and was answered almost immediately by the Plague Doctor.

"What is it?" Paracelsus asked tersely. "I'm quite busy at the moment."

"Hey, doc. Just wanted you to check these fish out to see if they're safe." Estelle hoisted the bucket full of her catch, only for Paracelsus to let out an annoyed grunt.

"You're just like the fishermen, paranoid about whether the local sea life is tainted because of those monstrosities from the Cove. While it is true those pelagic nightmares occasionally plague the Hamlet, that Occultist and I both agree the fish are quite safe to eat," Paracelsus said and led Estelle inside. "I suppose my word won't do, especially for a newcomer like yourself. Have a seat, and you shall have your reassurance soon enough."

Paracelsus then used some tongs to pick out one of the larger fish before slicing off a small chuck of flesh with a scalpel and depositing it on a small metal plate. After that was done, she put the fish back into Estelle's bucket. She then opened up a jar containing the severed hand from a recently-deceased pelagic grouper, submerged in some kind of chemical. Paracelsus sliced off a small chunk from the hand and put it on a second plate before walking over to grab a glass flask filled with a bright red liquid. Estelle walked over to have a better look and noticed the preserved hand had several chunks missing, all of them apparently having been neatly incised. A cough from Paracelsus made Estelle move out of her way.

"Observe," Paracelsus said before dripping some of that red chemical into both plates. The one containing flesh from the severed hand immediately began to fizz and bubble with a hissing sound while the plate with Estelle's catch remained inert. "My solution has elicited quite the strong reaction from the tainted flesh but not your catch. Are you satisfied now?"

"Yeah, I guess I am. Thanks, doc," Estelle said. "You mentioned something about me being like the fishermen. Do you do that test often?"

"Yes, I do. That expedition you just came from? The one with the protective wards? We've had to do that multiple times in the past year because the waves were too dangerous for the fishermen to head out. No matter how many times we enact those rituals, the sea simply becomes chaotic again some time later. Such is nature, I suppose," Paracelsus sighed in frustration. "Every time we come back, it's always the same superstitious fishermen bringing me their catch, asking me to make sure the flesh is free of taint or curse or whatever they think has affected their catch that day. I run the same tests, and Abdul always performs the same rituals. Do they listen and calm down? No! Those fools keep coming back!

"I am a learned scholar. These tests are nothing more than unwelcome distractions from my real work," Paracelsus told Estelle. "Still, I trust you are at least somewhat more receptive to my results than that uneducated rabble. I understand you are not versed in the ways of science, but from what I've seen of your 'ARCUS', an average person in your homeland is more educated than the lot here."

"I guess so. The church back home does a good job running Sunday School for everyone under sixteen. They are also experts in medicine and very tolerant of science and technology." Estelle said. "There are a lot of people that are smarter than me, though. School just puts me to sleep. Don't worry, I trust your test and won't come back to bug you any time soon."

"Good. Now please be on your way. I have work to do. By the way, I imagine those fish would fetch a pretty good price at the Tavern," Paracelsus said, and Estelle noticed for the first time she sounded very, very tired. Estelle wanted to ask, but knew she was starting to outstay her welcome. She said goodbye before picking up the bucket and heading for the Tavern. The place was starting to fill up with guests, and the chatter in the background was starting to get a bit animated. Estelle ignored the other patrons and walked straight up to the bar and put the bucket on top of the counter.

"Huh, you got yourself a pretty good haul there, girl," the owner said as he looked inside the bucket. "I'll fry up one of them for your supper and pay for the rest. How does that sound?"

"You got yourself a deal." Estelle gave a small smile and sat down at the bar. She found herself staring at the counter as she thought back to the way she acted on the pier. _Damn it, I miss Joshua so much, I can't even fish in peace anymore. How long has it been since I last saw him? Almost two months ago? And there still aren't any clues about where he could be. This might be a big patch of land, but he's gotta be here somewhere…_

The clattering of coins snapped Estelle out of her reverie, and she found herself staring at a modest pile on the bar counter in front of her. The owner was looking at her with concern on his face.

"Here's your payment for the fish, lass. They should make for some good soup and keep the guests happy until the fishermen come back with the real haul." The owner then leaned close enough to whisper to her. "You don't seem to be in high spirits, even though I heard nothing but good things about the last run you had. I hope you don't mind me prying, but is something else bothering you?"

"Joshua."

"Right, of course. Your boyfriend. I'm sorry for what I said when you first came here, about him being dead," the owner said. "I was simply being realistic about his prospects knowing the dangers lurking in these lands. That was before I heard from the others about how strong you are in a fight. If your boyfriend is anything like you, then…actually, you tell me what he's like. And as an apology for my words, have a stein on the house."

Estelle decided she didn't have much to lose by telling the owner. If there's anything she learned from her Bracer travels, it was that bartenders were great for venting after a long day. Since the last thing she wanted was to end up like Schera, who associated a time to vent with alcohol, Estelle decided to start talking before she got her drink.

"I guess he's like me in the sense he's good in a fight and has an Orbment just like me," Estelle said as she pulled out her ARCUS and set it on the countertop to show what she was talking about. "But he's also really different. For starters, Joshua's much faster and better at sneaking around than me. He's also calm, collected, and a thinker. When I started out as a Bracer, he was the one who led me around and helped me realize being a Bracer doesn't just involve smacking people around with a stick."

The owner placed a stein full of beer in front of Estelle, and she quickly took a couple of gulps before continuing.

"In a lot of ways, he's kind of the exact opposite of me. Whenever I rush out to do something, Joshua hangs back and comes up with ideas and plans. On top of being lovers, we've also been Bracer partners for the past three years," Estelle explained in between sips. "The only time we didn't do something together was because…because…you know what? I don't want to talk about that part. I just miss him like crazy, you know?"

The owner simply nodded as he listened to Estelle vent. "I totally understand. Having a loved one missing, especially in a place like this, will drive anyone crazy. But if your boyfriend is very good at sneaking and hiding like you said, then maybe he's laying low and waiting for you?"

"That's what I've been thinking too, and I just need to work a little harder finding him," Estelle said, her face starting to feel warm. "But where? This place can't be that much bigger than a single province back home. Still, it's too early to give up. Joshua is gotta be around this neck of the woods somewhere."

Estelle then downed the rest of the stein and stood up. From a mix of beer and bravado, Estelle pointed a finger at the ceiling and shouted: "You hear that? Joshua? I'm going to find you no matter what! I'll comb through this place until I see your face again!"

"That's the spirit, lass, but do you mind not disturbing the other guests?" the owner said. "Don't run off either. We're still working on your meal."

"Right, sorry," Estelle said sheepishly as she sat back down. Soon, a waitress brought a plate with roasted fish, potatoes, and pickled vegetables to Estelle. She thanked the waitress then immediately dug into her food. The flavorful freshly roasted fish practically melted in her mouth, and Estelle relished every single bite. _This is so good! When I find Joshua, I'm going to stuff his face full of fish!_

After finishing half of the fish, she heard the door opening behind her, followed by two sets of footsteps approaching the bar.

"Ah, Audrey and Margaret. You two came at a good time," the owner said as he set down two glasses at the bar and poured some strong liquor into both. "We'll be serving soup shortly. Freshly caught fish, courtesy of Estelle here."

"Oh, my. It's always a pleasure to make acquaintances with a fellow connoisseur of nature's bounties. I very much admire the discipline and patience of fishermen," Margaret said as she looked at the half-eaten fish on Estelle's plate. "It appears we have so much more in common than I first expected."

"Aww, you're just flattering me," Estelle smiled sheepishly. "I just like to fish, that's all. I've been doing it since I was a little girl."

"Practice makes perfect, darling!" Audrey interrupted, her glass already empty. "That reminds me, the three of us are visiting the seamstress first thing in the morning. We still need to get you a new outfit, after all."

"Remember, I want something orange," Estelle chuckled before going back to her meal. Soon, fish soup was served. Being the one who caught the fish in the first place, Estelle was treated to a bowl on the house. The atmosphere in the Tavern, already relieved from the calmed sea (even if temporarily), became much more jovial as the patrons savored the fish soup. As Estelle dug into her soup, she heard excited chatter flare up all over the Tavern, accompanied by an impromptu solo by that Jester (Sarmenti, right?) she'd gambled with a few weeks before.

"We did a good thing back at the Cove, didn't we?" Audrey said to Estelle as they both drank from their bowls and soaked in the cozy atmosphere. "I haven't felt this good about my work in a long time."

* * *

**The Next Day**

"Isn't this the general store?" Estelle asked Audrey and Margaret as they approached the two-storey house Estelle had become very familiar with. "I didn't know the owner also did clothes."

"Not quite. His wife is the town seamstress, but their businesses are separated by a wall. They also live upstairs," Audrey replied as they walked past the general store's front door and headed for a side entrance. "Margaret and I always enlist her service whenever our outfits get roughed up."

"I was never a fan of shopping for clothes. Guess that's why I've never even met the seamstress," Estelle said as she walked inside with her two companions. She found herself in a wide-open room dotted with shelves full of various kinds of clothing and fabric. Next to the door was a wooden counter with a bored-looking older woman sitting behind it.

"Well, well, if it isn't my favorite customers, Audrey and Margaret." The older woman's eyes lit up as she walked around the counter to greet the trio before looking at Estelle. "I think I've seen you around in my husband's store next door before. Who might you be?"

"I'm Estelle. It's very nice to meet you," Estelle said as they shook hands.

"Estelle, that's quite the lovely name," the seamstress said. "So, how can I help the three of you today?"

"We're helping Estelle with a new outfit," Audrey grinned. "The girl needs a few options to wear for future jobs."

"Ah, I see," The seamstress said as she looked over Estelle's long tunic and simple shoes. "I take it this isn't what you normally wear?"

"Nope, not at all," Estelle said. "I usually go for something a bit sturdier and easier to move around in. My normal adventuring clothes are a bit more form-fitting."

"I see. Well, you came to the right place. I would have referred you to the blacksmith if you normally wear plate mail like that Crusader. What's his name? Reynauld?" The seamstress smiled as she led the trio further inside the store. "Anyway, I'd like to ask you a few more questions and take some measurements."

"Sure, go right ahead." Estelle said.

"What's your fighting style? Do you normally wear gloves?" the seamstress asked.

"I'm good at staff combat and was taught by my dad. I can also do hand-to-hand combat. A few swordsmen I worked with use hand-to-hand as a backup technique, so I picked it up from them," Estelle said. "I can punch, kick, and do some basic martial arts moves to help me buy time and grab a weapon. I do wear gloves to help me get a better grip and soften the wear and tear on my hands."

"Yes, I see. Very nice," the seamstress said, and Estelle could tell gears were already turning inside her head. "Any preference for colors?"

"Orange and red," Estelle said.

"Mm-hmm…" The seamstress then went on to ask a few more questions about Estelle's other preferences, what kind of gear she liked to carry, and some miscellaneous items before taking Estelle's measurements. She then instructed the three women to stay put before disappearing among the shelves.

"Wow, that seamstress sure is thorough," Estelle said.

"This is why she's so good at her job," Audrey said. "When I first came here, I was wearing patched rags. With her help and some hard-earned gold, I ended up with something far more comfortable and stylish. It's almost like…you know what? Don't worry about it."

Estelle notice Audrey's sudden souring mood but decided to not ask her about it. Before she or Margaret could steer the conversation in a different direction, the seamstress re-emerged from among the shelves.

"I'm sorry, Estelle, but you'll have to wait for your new outfit. Unfortunately, nothing in this store really matches up to what I have in mind for you," the seamstress said. "I'll put in an order today, so make sure to check back every week. My policy for this kind of order is a small deposit up front, then you'll pay the rest after your outfit is ready."

Estelle and the seamstress then worked out a price for her outfit, and Estelle handed over some of her gold as deposit. She and her two other companions then bid the seamstress goodbye and left the store.

"That wasn't too bad. Reminds me of the time a mentor took me shopping after I became a Senior Bracer," Estelle said. "Thanks for bringing me along, Audrey. I wouldn't have found out about the seamstress by myself. By the way, what's everyone up to for the rest of the day?"

"I'm just going to take it easy and enjoy a stiff drink or few," Audrey said.

"I'll be practicing my aim some more," Margaret said. "One can never be too prepared for a hunt, especially considering our foes."

"I guess I'll change into my regular outfit and patrol the Hamlet a little," Estelle said. "Then I can go fishing in the afternoon."

The three of them said their goodbyes before going their separate ways, with Estelle heading straight for the barracks. She found her usual outfit already dried and folded neatly on top of her bed, so she wasted no time in changing back. _I wonder what my new outfit will look like. I bet Joshua will be so surprised when he sees me with it on._

After picking up her staff and making sure she was ready, Estelle ventured outside once more. Despite the gloom, the townsfolk seemed to be just a little more cheerful than before, no doubt due to the calmed sea. She altered her route to take her closer to the docks, where she could make out the distant shapes of fishing boats on the horizon — no doubt eager to take advantage of the gentle tides to catch as much fish as possible. _I bet there'll be more tasty fish for dinner tonight._

Estelle then took out her ARCUS and checked how much orbal energy she had left. Using healing arts on top of the Chrono Burst and Dark Matter drained a lot of her orbment's power. Even with the Ingenuity quartz and a lot of walking courtesy of the trip back from the Cove, her ARCUS was only about halfway charged. _Guess I better keep doing my rounds. This is gonna be so slow…_

* * *

**Ruins**

The noble family to which Ambrosius and his descendant belonged once held considerable power, and the fiefdom they ruled over even fielded entire regiments in the family's glory days. The Ruins, all that remained of a sprawling hillside fortress, was the crown jewel of the family's glory. At the center, beyond the maze of hallways and legions of skeletons who had once been stalwart and honorable soldiers, lay the throne room. What was once an opulent and imperial chamber had been reduced to a rubble-strewn tomb, and the Necromancer Lord sat upon the ancient throne which once belonged to the forefathers of the man who betrayed him and his coven.

To the unaware observer, it seemed the Necromancer Lord was slumbering, but that was far from the case. After countless experiments upon the gullible cultists and enterprising brigands who were unfortunate enough to stalk the Ruins' lightless halls, he had perfected a certain technique that would extend the reach of his power.

Enchanting an old military bugle was the first step in his plan. Those instruments were plentiful in the Ruins, and so were their owners: bone bearers who continued to wield battle standards and inspire troops with their bugle calls even in death. The second step was to project his will onto the enchanted bugle's owner, assuming direct control of the skeleton. The technique was a trifling matter for a master necromancer such as himself. Using his power, the Necromancer Lord marched the bone bearer from the ruins all the way down to the Old Road, then sent his puppet along it to the Hamlet.

From the bone bearer's hollow eyes, the Necromancer Lord saw the confused expressions of the town watchmen who stood guard at the Hamlet's edge. It would only be a matter of time before they drew their weapons on the bone bearer, so the Necromancer had to act quickly. Like an expert puppet master, the Necromancer Lord raised the enchanted bugle to the bone bearer's lipless mouth. Even without lungs, the enchanted bugle still sounded its unholy call the moment it touched the bone bearer's teeth. The last thing the Necromancer Lord saw before severing control was the two town watchmen starting to stab the bone bearer with their spears.

 _Pathetic mortals. Your efforts will not matter once my plans come to fruition._ The Necromancer Lord grinned under his hood. _When the Hamlet is under the rule of the dead, raising that bone bearer will be a trifling concern._

* * *

**Hamlet**

As Estelle walked into a residential area, she heard some shouting coming from the West, followed by what sounded like a long blast from a trumpet. For reasons Estelle didn't quite understand, the sound caused shivers to crawl up her spine and a festering dread to grow in her mind. She noticed the other villagers had stopped in their tracks too and were looking at the direction of the trumpet blast, all of them with confused or fearful looks in their eyes. The ground suddenly started to quake, almost making Estelle lose her balance. _What the? An earthquake? I better go make sure everyone is—_

A shrill scream came from the direction of the Abbey, and Estelle broke into a sprint. Her Bracer instincts went on full alert, and Estelle instantly knew something was very, very wrong. The only reason she could think of for a scream like that was an attack. _But how? How can there be monsters in the middle of the Hamlet?_

She ran through the streets and past the fleeing villagers, determined to find the source of the commotion and screaming. As she got closer to the Abbey, a putrid smell filled her nose, and Estelle soon discovered the source.

The graves were empty.

The cemetery's former inhabitants were trudging out in full force, attacking passersby with whatever weapons they had been buried with or even bare hands and teeth. Estelle momentarily froze in horror, seeing the walking corpses of deceased villagers and the same fallen adventurers she paid tribute to murdering and terrorizing the population they once called neighbors and friends. Estelle gagged as she saw the chewed-up or dismembered remains of a few villagers who didn't get away in time.

Some of the marauding dead looked rather recent, others were rotten and bloated, and the remainder were barely skeletons covered by taut dry flesh. To Estelle's horror and disgust, she could even make out buzzing flies and wriggling maggots feasting on the moving corpses without a care in the world.

"No…this can't be real…there's got to be at least a hundred of them!" Estelle muttered. "How did those witches raise the bodies so quickly?"

A shrill scream snapped Estelle out of her reveries: a little girl had tripped while trying to run away from one of the walking corpses. With the shroud covering his face having been torn off, Estelle could tell the reanimated corpse was an old man and recently buried. She recognized the young girl from that funeral she witnessed a couple of weeks ago.

"Grandpa, no!" the young girl screamed as she tried to back away.

"Hey, you!" Estelle shouted as she ran towards the old man with her staff. She swiped sideways at his skull with enough force to completely shatter it. Fortunately for Estelle and the little girl, she hit the skull in a way that sprayed bone fragments and decayed flesh away from them. The freshly re-killed corpse collapsed onto the ground like a puppet with its strings cut.

"Go home!" Estelle warned the girl. "Lock yourself in and don't come out until it's safe!"

She then turned towards the crowd of the dead as they advanced in her direction. Judging by their speed, she had plenty of time to fall back and cast a powerful art that could take most of them out in a fell swoop. The presence of archers and crossbowmen among the dead, however, made her reconsider that course of action. _Guess I'll have to do it the hard way…_

"Estelle!" Reynauld called out, joined by Dismas, Baldwin, and the three Crusaders who came with him on the stagecoach.

"Reynauld, everyone! I'm okay!" Estelle said. "I need your help. I can't deal with them by myself."

"That's what we're here for, kiddo," Dismas said as he drew a pistol from within his coat. "The town watch and the others will be here soon. Just need to hold the line until they get here."

"Come, old friend," Baldwin said to Reynauld as he hefted his gigantic sword. "Once more unto the breach."

"Indeed, Baldwin. Once more shall we cleanse the unholy. Brothers, lend me thine hands as we close in with the enemy!" Reynauld said before turning towards Dismas and Estelle. "Estelle and Dismas, the two of you shall provide support at a distance, be it Dismas' pistols or Estelle's arts. Onwards!"

With battle cries shouted in unison, the four Crusaders charged headlong towards the walking dead with gleaming swords. Baldwin trailed behind them as he strode forward with purpose. Estelle could hear him mutter what appeared to be prayers under his breath as she readied a La Forte art to strengthen her five allies, followed by a Chrono Drive to speed them up. Meanwhile, Dismas aimed his pistol at a bow-wielding corpse and fired, blowing a gigantic hole in its head.

"Damn, I missed the eyes." He chuckled as he tucked away the expended pistol and took out another one from his coat.

The four Crusaders crashed into the horde with the force of a tidal wave. They began to hack away at their enemies with a disciplined fervor, presenting a united line that left no gaps in their defence. Even at a distance, Estelle could hear them chanting hymns and timing their slashes and stabs with rhyme and meter. She didn't want to give the dead any chances, so Estelle focused her attention on the corpses that were either too far away or in the Crusaders' blind spots. Fire Bolts made quick work of individual corpses, while small groups were burnt to ash by Heat Waves.

Baldwin didn't join the Crusaders but rather fought by himself a small distance away. With a furious grunt, he swung his broken sword in a wide arc, cleaving several walking corpses' heads straight off their shoulders. Baldwin patiently set to work hacking the undead to bits with slow, powerful swings. He occasionally missed, leaving himself open to attack while he recovered and reoriented himself, but none of the enemy's strikes could get past his thick bronze armor. When his hits did connect, they did so with such a force the Crusaders could only dream of, slashing dozens of corpses at once. A rotting hulking brute tried to challenge him, only for Baldwin to split it cleanly down the middle.

"Rain in the forest," he said as he continued his grisly work.

The previously tranquil area surrounding the cemetery became a cacophonic battlefield, with the sound of blows clanging against armor, rending flesh, and the Abbey's frantically ringing bell. Estelle's nose and eyes began to sting from the smoke and the acrid smell of the dead, both burnt and unburnt. She coughed and gagged as a sudden breeze blew some of the rancid smoke her way.

 _Where are the town watch and the rest of the adventurers?_ The battle seemed to last an eternity, with the overwhelming numbers, horrid stench, and howls that might give her nightmares for the rest of her life. For every corpse she burned, five more would take its place. Estelle recalled Alfred's words, about how the Hamlet had long suffered death and misfortune. _Are we seriously fighting everyone who ever died here?_

Some of the dead started to trickle towards Estelle and Dismas, apparently not wanting to get eviscerated by the five warriors of the Light. Estelle focused her attention on the closest ones. _Okay, looks like our efforts to distract them might be working a bit too well._

After she cast a Heat Wave, Estelle suddenly realized something was gone from the furious din of battle: the sound of Dismas' pistols firing. She looked to her side and saw the Highwayman had ducked behind her, furiously stuffing a ramrod down the barrel of one of his pistols.

"They're all dry. Buy me some time to put some ball and powder in 'em, will ya?" Dismas asked, and Estelle noticed beads of sweat running down his head. "I'm kind of working under pressure here."

Estelle nodded wordlessly as she readied another Heat Wave after using up an EP charge to keep her ARCUS supplied with orbal energy. The Crusaders had resorted to fighting back-to-back, and Baldwin was doing his best to cut the horde down to size. As more corpses were burnt away, Estelle wondered if she would have to use the ultimate technique her father taught her. _I can probably wipe them all out in one go, but I might burn down the entire Hamlet with it! Damn it, I might not have a choice…_

A blast from behind her interrupted Estelle's train of thought. She looked towards Dismas, but he hadn't even been aiming his weapon.

"That wasn't me!" Dismas said before taking his own shot.

"Come on, Dismas. Don't tell me you've forgotten me already!" Margaret's voice called out. Estelle turned and saw the town watch pouring into the square along with what must have been every single adventurer who didn't go on the week's expedition.

"We marshaled the forces together as soon as we heard the howls from the graveyard," said Missandei the Arbalest, a dark-skinned woman wearing plate mail and wielding a particularly large crossbow. She hefted her crossbow and fired at one of the larger corpses. "Attack!"

Arrows rained from the rooftops, cutting down most of the corpses with deadly precision while leaving the Crusaders and Baldwin alone. Missandei then commanded the assembled troops to advance. "Cut off their heads! Make sure every one of them can never move again!"

"You two can take a break. We got this," Audrey tapped Dismas and Estelle from behind before withdrawing a few poison darts and throwing knives from her coat.

"Thanks for the relief, Audrey, but we'll only need a minute. I wouldn't be a good Bracer if I left the job half-done." Estelle smiled at the Grave Robber before turning to Dismas. "Come on, let's go take a breather."

"You read my mind." Dismas said before retreating towards Missandei's position. While Dismas reloaded his weapons, Estelle leaned against the wall of a house, watching the battle come to its conclusion. The troops were quick in linking up with Baldwin and the Crusaders, cutting down every walking corpse they came across. Estelle could make out everyone she'd met doing their own part in the fight.

Boudica and Amani in a duet of death as they slashed and stabbed their way through the horde.

Paracelsus dousing the enemy in blight with her grenades.

Margaret taking out enemies with pinpoint musket shots.

Even Annabelle was knocking down corpses on William's command, allowing the Houndmaster to finish them off with a well-placed billy club strike to the head

"Well, isn't it just grand? This might be the first time the entire Hamlet has fought together," Dismas chuckled. "I need a really stiff drink after this is over."

"Same here, but first things first," Estelle said as she stood up. "I think my break was long enough. What about you? Feel like getting back in the fight?"

"Of course I do," Dismas said, drawing his knife to use in conjunction with his pistol. "Can't let the others have all the fun."

The two of them charged back into battle. Now that reinforcements had joined the fight, Estelle decided to forgo the use of her Arts and resort to staff attacks as a way to save energy. She and Dismas fought back-to-back, with Estelle parrying the blows from the corpses while Dismas slashed and shot at their enemies. She no longer cared about how disgusting her enemies were, but rather to put the dead back to rest and avenge the villagers who fell.

Between her strikes and Dismas' shots and slashes, the horde around the two began to thin out. The battle to save the Hamlet soon ended, with the combined might of the town watch and adventurers mopping up the remainder of the walking corpses in short order. Soon after, the Heir arrived on the scene, dagger and cutlass in hand. He looked worn and haggard, and Estelle noticed both of his weapons were dripping wet with the same black decayed ichor that coated the blades of the militiamen and adventurers who closed in with the enemy. Accompanying him were several more militiamen as well as a young woman who was carrying a large tome with her.

"Have a priest perform last rites then burn all the corpses," the Heir instructed one of the older militiamen before turning his attention to the nearest adventurer, which turned out to be Boudica. "Gather all the adventurers. We need to have a meeting."

Boudica whistled loudly and gathered everyone around the Heir.

"I know what all of you are thinking. This brazen attack upon our Hamlet cannot go unanswered. Fortunately, we already have clues as to who is responsible thanks to our Librarian here," the Heir said, gesturing towards the young woman with the book.

"Based on the recovered remains of the bone bearer and witness reports of the dead rising shortly after a bugle was sounded, we can pinpoint the culprit with great certainty," the Librarian said. "Raising the dead beyond the bounds of the ruins in such great quantities is certain proof that the Necromancer Lord who has evaded our wrath for so long has begun to act. Due to the fact he has evaded our forces for so long, it can be assumed he is extremely dangerous."

She then set her heavy book on the ground before opening it, revealing a folded map.

"Based on the findings from previous expeditions as well as ancient maps, the cartographers and myself have determined that the Ruins house a yet-undiscovered inner sanctum known as the throne room," the Librarian continued. "Furthermore, there is evidence of corrupted altars in the area that channel and amplify necromantic energies, making foes close to the throne room far more dangerous."

The Heir picked up where she left off. "The objectives of the next two expeditions have thus been determined," he said. "The first group will bring consecrated essence into the Ruins in order to purify the altars. This will weaken the magic in the area as well as the Necromancer Lord's forces. The second group will then take advantage of the opportunity and assault the inner sanctum in order to eliminate the necromancer.

"The first expedition will leave in two days since the Abbot needs that much time to prepare the necessary materials, and maps will be distributed to both groups once team compositions have been finalized," the Heir continued. "Reynauld, you will be the leader of the second team due to your experience in combatting the undead. Bracer, you'll be on the second team as well."

"Huh? Why me?" Estelle asked.

"Your skillset means having you on a team makes it much more likely for everyone to survive against powerful foes," the Heir replied. "Reynauld will determine the remainder of the second team while I shall decide on the composition of the first team. All of you, go get clean up and rest. The eight among you will need it in particular."


	11. Necromancer Lord (4)

**R &A Research, Ruan, Liberl**

After spending a couple of days in Calvard appraising the site and failing to discover anything useful, Alan Richard had decided to head home to Liberl. It was up to his wide network of informants now, the one he'd begun cultivating as head of the Liberlian Army's now-disbanded Intelligence Division, and he could manage that more easily from Liberl than Calvard. All he had to do was pull a few strings and watch the pieces fall into place.

Shifting uncomfortably in his seat, he admitted to himself that there was an ulterior motive for leaving the ruins: they'd been starting to fill him with an indescribable dread. It wasn't anything concrete he could identify, but between Aeolia's discovery about the walls of fossilized flesh and a recurring, vaguely menacing symbol he kept seeing in the caves, it had been an enormous relief to leave. He'd jotted down the symbol — a downward arch dotted with five equally-spaced inward-facing spikes — but nobody seemed to recognise it, not even Kevin, so he'd forwarded it to some of his own sources to see if anyone knew anything.

Alan flicked through his thickly-scrawled diary before giving up and paging his secretary. "Kanone, do I have any appointments today?" he asked. Sometimes he didn't know what he'd do without Kanone Amalthea; she kept better track of his schedule than he ever could, both now and back when she'd served as his second-in-command in the Intelligence Division.

“Yes, sir. You have a follow-up appointment at 1000 with ZCF’s factory chief Murdock regarding potential foreign markets,” Kanone replied through the intercom, referring to the head of Liberl’s state-run orbment research enterprise. “The mayor will be seeing you after lunch at 1400.”

“Thank you, Kanone. It appears we’re not too busy today but be ready for drop-in customers.” Alan sipped at his tea while turning his attention to a sheaf of reports from Erebonia. He hadn't got far before his phone rang, and he put down his teacup to answer it.

“R&A Research, Alan Richard…” Alan’s greeting was cut short by an ear-piercing shriek of excitement, forcing Alan to pull the receiver away from his ear.

The voice belonged to a particularly excited young woman whose speech seemed to be getting faster with every word. “Alan Richard? The big cheese himself? Yes! Just the man I was looking for! The name’s Katie Lee, I’m a reporter with the Altair Times and boy do I have a big scoop for you…”

“Please remember to slow down and breathe, miss! What’s this big scoop about?” Alan said, wondering how exactly the hotshot reporter had come to find him in the first place. He heard Katie take a few deep breaths before continuing.

“All right, so you’re trying to dig up dirt about whoever hired a bunch of Jaegers and sent them to some creepy desert ruins, right? Well, yours truly has some juicy info on exactly that!”  Katie continued. “So, how about a quid pro quo? I scratch your back and you scratch mine?”

"And what exactly is it that you want in return, Miss Lee?"

"Call me Katie!" she chirped. "And as for what I want... I want to know what those Jaegers were doing, why they were hired, what they were searching for, what got them killed, when —"

"I think I get the picture," Alan said, cutting her off before she could build up any more steam. "Very well. I accept your deal. Now, tell me what you know about whoever hired the Jaegers."

“The good news is that he’s a senator, but the bad news is that he’s dead and-”

“What? He’s dead? How?”

“Chill out! I’m getting to that. Basically, the Interior Guard were raiding his office at dawn a couple of days ago as part of an anti-corruption sting when they found him dead,” Katie said, slowing down as she explained. “After some digging by yours truly into his finances, it’s perfectly safe to say he was the one who hired those Jaegers. You know how all of them got killed by _something_ in those ruins? Turns out that it wasn't all of them after all: a few of the Jaegers stayed behind and didn’t go inside. The IG thinks they got back at the senator for sending their buddies to their deaths.”

“You sound a bit skeptical about the Interior Guard’s explanation,” Richard said. “Is there something else behind the official line?”

“Bingo! It turns out the remaining Jaegers were found dead in a nearby warehouse,” Katie explained as her voice dropped to a near-whisper, almost as if she was reciting some urban legend. “Those IG guys think they just got greedy and killed each other, but I don’t buy it at all. You…you sure you want to hear the rest?”

“By all means. Everything helps.”

“Well, I managed to catch a couple of high-ranking IG officers sloshed out of their mind at a bar, and they’re all saying the same thing,” Katie said slowly and quietly. “‘Yin is back.’”

“Oh, my. That does sound quite disconcerting,” Alan said, a shiver crawling up his spine from the mere mention of the legendary assassin. “Thank your information, Miss Lee. Is there anything else?”

“Nah, and that’s all I got for now, sorry,” Katie said. “Well, I held up my end of the deal. Now it’s your turn. For starters, all the Bracers have been cagey and antsy since the Jaeger slaughter fest in those ruins, but nobody from the Guild is giving out details.”

“Have you tried talking to Nial Burns from Liberl News?” Alan asked. “He probably knows more…”

“Of course I talked to him! He was just as cagey as all the Bracers I interviewed,” Katie said. “Nial seemed to take the case really personally too.”

“I see. He has every reason to. Imagine two young, well-liked, and talented rising stars in the Guild that you’ve known for a few years. Imagine them not only saving your life, but also the entire nation they call home,” Alan sighed deeply to compose himself before continuing. “Now, imagine them disappearing while taking on an extremely dangerous request…”

* * *

**???**

Estelle looked around frantically, searching for any sign of life. "Hello? Is anyone there?" But there was no answer, only the deafening silence of a dark void as far as the eye could see.

She tried again anyway. "Hello...?"

A muffled cry off in the distance caught Estelle’s attention. As much as she strained her eyes, she couldn’t make out any discernible shapes. Concerned about some kind of trap, she advanced carefully, her staff at the ready.

“Who’s there?” she asked, hoping to get some kind of answer. Although the crying became more distinct and clearer as Estelle approached, she still couldn’t make out any words. Suddenly, the crying stopped.

“Grandpa?” the voice said faintly.

“No, I’m not your grandfather,” Estelle said as her pace quickened. “I’m just a Bracer. Hang on, I’ll be right there.”

“Grandpa, you don’t look too good,” the voice said. “Wh-what are you doing?”

“What’s happening over there?” Estelle asked, breaking into a light jog. A thick, sickening unease welled up inside her. “What’s wrong with your grandpa?”

“Grandpa, no!” A shrill scream rang out, and Estelle instantly recognized it as the little girl she saved from the elderly undead.

“Hang on, I’m coming!” Estelle called out as she sped up. Suddenly, she was surrounded by the howling of the risen dead. With no way of seeing anything ahead of her, Estelle had no choice but to forge ahead.

“Grandpa, no!” The little girl screamed again, but there was a subtle shift in her tone.

“Can you hear me? Follow my voice!” Estelle called out again as she kept running. Sweat started to form on her brow, more out of fear than out of exertion.

“Grandpa, no!” The scream sounded different, and also more familiar.

“It’s okay, I’m almost there! Just keep running!” Estelle said, trying her best to tune out the unholy moans that still surrounded her. _Something’s not right. That voice…_

“Grandpa, no!” The girl’s voice suddenly became much clearer, and very different from the little girl Estelle had saved. It was a voice that had always brought joy to Estelle, full of bright curiosity…

“Tita? What are you doing here?” Estelle was running as fast as she could, hoping to sweep in and save Tita before it was too late. “It’s me, Estelle! Just run towards my voice!”

“Grandpa, please! Why—” Tita’s fearful, desperate plea was interrupted by a shrill scream full of pain and hopelessness, cut short by a sickening tearing sound. Then there was only a ragged gasping that quickly fell silent.

“Tita! No!” Estelle screamed as tears welled up in her eyes. Suddenly, what was left of Tita Russell came into full view in front of Estelle. She tried to force herself to look away, away from the long blonde hair stained by Tita’s own blood, away from…

Estelle shot up in her bed, gasping, reeling, and covered in a cold sweat. She found herself surrounded by darkness once more, but it was the calming darkness of the barracks and not the oppressive void that she was just in. _It…it was just a nightmare._

Estelle flopped back onto her mattress and shut her eyes, but sleep would not come no matter how much she twisted and turned. Even from behind closed eyelids, she still saw the grisly sight of the dead villagers and her ears were still full of terrified screams and the moans of the dead from earlier that day. _I was too late. I should have been there!_

Accepting the fact she wasn’t going to fall asleep any time soon, Estelle slipped on her boots, leaving her pajamas on and her hair loose, and crept out of the barracks. At night, the Hamlet’s streets were dark and dreary. The constantly looming clouds which blocked out the sun also prevented any moonlight from shining through. The only sources of illumination were oil lampposts sparsely spaced along the town square, the occasional glow from the windows of families that still stayed up, and the torches carried by the night watch. In the dim lighting, Estelle could make out bloodstained cobblestones that hadn’t been cleaned thoroughly enough, leaving a faint rotting stench lingering in the air.

The Hamlet felt like a tomb, and the horrific events from earlier that day only reinforced the comparison. Estelle didn’t want to spend more time than necessary in the dimly-lit streets, so she headed straight for the Tavern. She pushed open the door leading into the somewhat better-lit watering hole and found it even emptier than the Hamlet’s streets, which at least had roaming patrols. Aside from a barmaid and Tardif, who had his back turned, Estelle was the only person there.

“Good evening, Miss Estelle,” The barmaid said as Estelle took a seat at the bar. “What will it be?”

“I’ll have ‘The Reward’.” Estelle said. Without a word, the barmaid quickly poured a dark-colored liquor into a glass before setting it in front of Estelle.

Estelle stared blankly into the glass. Mr. Heir had decided to reward the efforts of Dismas, Baldwin, the four Crusaders, and herself with a bottle of rum he'd imported from some distant island, but she was in no mood for celebration. The empty Tavern and the stygian mood throughout the Hamlet were in stark contrast with the lively good cheer merely a day ago, and Estelle felt like she was partially responsible for it. She had gotten over the shock of seeing walking corpses rather quickly, since she was no stranger to fighting fantastical and horrifying enemies but seeing the bodies of the slain villagers lying on the bloody ground...

 _This has never happened before… I've never had an innocent bystander die on my watch. Did I get sloppy? Am I a bad Bracer?_ Estelle wiped a stray tear from her eyes, barely paying attention to someone sitting down next to her. After a minute or so of hesitation, she raised the glass to her mouth with shaking hands, eyes squeezing shut at the rum’s intense bite. The aftertaste, coupled with memories of the villagers who couldn’t get away from the corpses in time, caused Estelle to cough and gag.

“Are you all right, Estelle?” The voice beside her belonged to no other than William, causing Estelle to look in his direction. A part of her was relieved it was the Houndmaster who caught her sulking instead of someone else.

“Yeah, I’m good. The booze is just kind of strong, that’s all,” Estelle replied as she wiped her mouth, unwilling to unload her mental turmoil on him. “Where’s Annabelle?”

“She’s enjoying some well-earned rest, but I can’t say the same about you,” William said, staring straight at her. “I know that look in your eyes far too well because I’ve seen it in the mirror plenty of times myself. Come on, what’s ailing you?”

 _Should I tell him? Being a cop, he’d probably be able to figure it out anyway._ Estelle gulped some more rum before setting her glass down, letting out a ragged sigh before speaking up. “Bracer Code, Article Two: Bracers and Their Duty to the People. ‘In the event of unjust imperilment of citizens, the Bracer's sworn duty is to bear the responsibility for the citizens' safety.’ William, how many people died today?”

“Six." William sighed and shook his head. "That’s six too many.”

“Then you get what I’m talking about. That’s six people who will never see their friends and family again because I was too slow,” Estelle slammed a fist down at the countertop as tears welled up in her eyes. “Six times I failed as a Bracer!”

William said nothing for almost a minute as he sipped from his beer mug, his brows knit in thought. “What was your track record like back home?” William asked after a pregnant pause.

“Zero. Joshua and I always kept civilians safe. Yes, we had to deal with monsters, criminals, and some pretty freaky things, but we never let that faze us.” Estelle paused, composing herself while thinking back to the fellow Bracers and other allies who fell in the line of duty. “The two of us had to deal with losing friends a couple of times, but never did we let an innocent bystander die on our watch.”

“Were you saddened by their deaths too?” William asked, yet there was no hint of interrogation or accusation in his tone.

“I sure was, and Joshua had it way worse than me this one time. But we know they died fighting and doing their jobs to keep innocents safe, and the best we could do is to fight on for their sake,” Estelle replied, looking straight at William. “These people, they’re different. They died scared and alone, begging and praying for someone to save them. That someone should have been me.”

William nodded slowly after hearing Estelle’s words. He frowned as he took a swig from his beer mug, as if deep in thought once more. “Estelle, would you be so kind as to listen to an old lawman ramble? You remind me so much of myself when I was younger, with fire in my stomach and a hunger for justice. Like you, I too had companions in the form of fellow lawmen who I thought I could trust with my life. And while my wife wasn’t part of the force, she still supported me with companionship and warm meals after a long day at work. She was a strong yet gentle woman, and a proud mother to two wonderful children.”

Estelle nodded as she sipped on her rum, her attention fully focused on William. _Did something go wrong?_

“I had been part of the constabulary for a couple of decades when the shire I was from had a string of disappearances, and I was eventually tasked with the investigation when no one else could solve the case. I did eventually discover one of the victims, but the truth…it destroyed me. The poor girl, I still remember her face when I arrived. I was too late. She was already dead!”

William had a frantic look in his eyes as he paused to down a few more gulps from his mug, and Estelle was glued to her seat with rapt, horrified attention.

“Many members of the force, including senior leaders like the chief and the mayor, were in on the disappearances! They were part of a cult that was sacrificing innocent people to some dark god. I barely escaped with my life, but my family…they weren’t so lucky. My home, my wife, my children…the lawmen who I thought were my brothers-in-arms destroyed them all in the span of one night! I fled that accursed shire with nothing but the clothes on my back and my Annabelle. If there were other honest lawmen, they didn’t make it out alive.”

“William…” Estelle said, laying a comforting hand on his shoulder while he chugged the rest of his mug. _Poor man, and I thought Lloyd and his team had it tough. I can’t imagine other Bracers turning on me like that._

“My investigation eventually led me here, and I have been in the service of the local lord ever since. As for my former colleagues, let’s just say they were eventually dealt with.” William then looked at Tardif’s table.

Estelle also looked towards Tardif, who was too busy enjoying his drink to notice their stares. “What are you trying to tell me, William? Wait, don’t tell me…”

“It’s just as you think, but that’s a tale for another day. I believe Tardif could tell it better if he’s willing to tell it at all. He’s not one for words,” William said before taking on a sterner tone, one that reminded Estelle of her own dad whenever she was being too mean to Joshua as children. “Your spirit and drive are commendable, that much was evident given how you were the first person to respond to the attack. However, in this place, sometimes you can do everything right and it's still not enough. In fact, it’s rarely good enough. Deaths are a certainty rather than a possibility.”

Estelle slowly nodded as she set down her glass. _This is a dark place compared to home. Alfred already told me about how much these people have suffered, but today really hit it home. No amount of moping will bring back those innocent people, but there’s something else I_ can _do…_

“So what you’re trying to say is that I need to treat civilian deaths the same way as I treat Bracer deaths?” Estelle asked softly. “That I need to fight on for their sakes and bring the one responsible to justice?”

“I don’t think I mentioned that part…” William raised an eyebrow, but a small smile crept up his face.

 _No, you definitely didn’t. I was just blind to that really obvious answer._ Estelle finished the rest of the drink and slowly stood up, allowing her vision and balance to adjust to her somewhat intoxicated state. “Thanks, William. You’re a real friend.”

With a pat on the William’s shoulders, Estelle walked back to the barracks with her spirits lifted and purpose made clear.

* * *

 

**Hamlet**

After the undead attack, the remainder of the day had been taken up by a quick memorial service to the ones who perished, followed by a massive pyre for the victims as well as their unwilling attackers. The Heir then placed the town watch on high alert until the Necromancer Lord could be dealt with. Patrols became more frequent, and laborers were busy constructing barricades throughout the streets. Afterwards, the Heir busied himself with more paperwork dealing with reconstruction, trade, and the Hamlet’s overall administration. After finishing up his work for the day and forcing down a late supper, the Heir decided to read a novel until a knock on his office door interrupted him.

Alfred’s voice came from the other side. “Pardon me, My Lord, but Reynauld wishes to speak to you.”

“Very well, send him in,” the Heir said, and the veteran Crusader soon entered. He was a far cry from the inspiring and stalwart soldier he had always projected himself as in public. Instead, the veteran crusader looked sad and vulnerable, just like that day in the Tavern when he had told the Heir and Dismas his full story. The Heir took out two glasses and poured whiskey into both before pushing one to Reynauld, who gratefully took it.

“Good evening, old friend. What ails you?” the Heir asked.

“My Lord, I understand this request may be tactically unsound, especially coming from myself,” Reynauld said before pausing to take a sip. “I humbly request thee to replace Estelle with Junia as the healer for the expedition against the Necromancer Lord.”

“Do you not trust the Bracer, Reynauld?” the Heir asked in surprise. “I was under the impression you two had struck up a rapport.”

“To win this coming battle, I must devote myself fully to victory, with no room for mercy. My brothers and I shall strike without restraint nor humanity, for our foe has none either. The Bracer…Estelle, for all her remarkable abilities and skill, is innocent. I do not wish her to see what I can become,” Reynauld said. “If she were to accompany us, she shall witness a part of my past that should never see the light of day.”

The Heir kept his face impassive as he considered his next words carefully. “Reynauld, you and Dismas have been with me ever since the start of our ordeal. I think of you two not just as my most trusted strategists and confidants, but also as my friends. Our friendship dictates that I must point out the folly in your thinking,” the Heir said, taking on a soft tone he never used in public. “I assume you know the importance of bringing a healer, correct? Would you rather perish than have the Bracer think you a monster?”

“I am fully aware of the need to bring a healer for every expedition, My Lord. I am also keenly aware of how Estelle’s healing ‘Arts’ are far more potent than anything Junia could muster,” Reynauld said. “Yet I still wish to bring Junia instead. As a fellow adherent of the Light, she knows far better than Estelle about the evils of necromancy and why its practitioners must be given no quarter!”

“Junia may be aware of the theological justification behind slaying the Necromancer Lord, but the Bracer is a far stronger fighter than that Vestal could ever hope to be. She could very well be the _only_ healer who could withstand the horrors which may lie in wait in the throne room, and the only one who could ensure all four of you will survive!” the Heir retorted. “You are a soldier. You know full well the success of this mission, and therefore the safety of the Hamlet, is of greater import than your concerns and theological musings!”

Instead of answering, Reynauld simply sat still and stared at the Heir in silence. The nobleman had a feeling he had touched a raw nerve by speaking so lightly of the old Crusader’s beliefs.

“My apologies, old friend. That outburst was unbecoming of my character, and I did not mean to belittle your faith,” the Heir said. “Reynauld, you have showered me with nothing but accolades for the Bracer’s bravery after that battle with the Prophet, and those who went with her on other expeditions have the same high opinion of her. Do you consider yourself to be a good judge of character?”

“Yes, My Lord.”

“Then do you think the Bracer will sever her friendship based on your predicted ferocity in the coming battle?”

“I…well…” Reynauld stammered and paused for a few seconds. “No, My Lord. If she could tolerate a radical such as Damian or that damned Abdul, then I see no reason she would regard me with animosity.”

The Heir nodded firmly. “Very well, then. I consider this matter settled. The Bracer shall accompany you in your battle against the Necromancer Lord.”

“I have no further objections, My Lord,” Reynauld nodded, shifting uncomfortably in his seat before looking out the office window.

“Is something else troubling you?” the Heir asked, concerned about Reynauld’s visible unease.

“My heart and soul are not at ease, but I cannot discern any precise reason,” Reynauld said. “I only know that it is caused by our undead foe.”

“I supposed more libations are required if it will help you sleep through the night,” the Heir poured more whiskey into their glasses. “Drink and rest, so that you may renew your strength for the days to come.”

* * *

 

**Two Days Later**

The time leading up to the first team’s departure was spent finalizing team composition and plans of attack. Aside from Junia and one of Reynauld’s more experienced Crusaders, it was decided that Dismas and Missandei would join the first team. Meanwhile, the second team would be composed of Estelle, Reynauld, and two other Crusaders. Although Baldwin had been part of the first ones to respond to the undead attack, it was decided he would remain in the Hamlet and assist in its defence. At the break of dawn on the day of departure, the Heir rose early in order to see the first team off.

He found them near the Hamlet’s edge, where the Old Road tapered off towards the sole bridge leading into town. Barricades had been erected behind the bridge in order to create a choke point that was barely wide enough for a single stagecoach, and there were extra guards on alert for further incursions. The second team was there as well and busy conversing with the first team. Unwilling to interrupt their farewells, the Heir stood off to one side to listen in.

“Take heed to follow Dismas and Junia’s advice, Brother Lucian,” Reynauld instructed the Crusader on the first team. “They are well-acquainted with the dangers that unholy castle has in store.”

“I shall not fail you, Brother Reynauld,” Lucian said. “On the honor of the fallen, I shall accomplish my mission.”

“Remember our plan. As soon as someone sees my flare, you four need to hurry towards the Ruins and be ready for battle,” Missandei said. “Make sure you are all well-rested and ready. Do not respond to any raids unless the situation is truly dire.”

“You hear that, Estelle? Don’t stretch yourself too thin,” Dismas told Estelle before pointing at Reynauld. “That big lug there is itching for a fight against those bony bastards, so make sure to rein him in. Let Barristan and Baldwin run the show if the Hamlet does get attacked.”

“You got it, Dismas. Be careful and come back in one piece, you hear me?” Estelle said with a grin.

“I always do. Got the luck of a devil and all that,” Dismas chuckled before looking past her towards the Heir. “Got some word of wisdom before we go, boss?”

“Indeed I do, but I shall keep it concise to minimize any delay. The risen dead is a clear indication our foe must not be trifled with. For the safety and prosperity of the Hamlet, he must be eliminated. All eight of you, as well as those who remain in the Hamlet for these two expeditions, have important roles to play in this climax,” The Heir said, and the eight were in rapt attention. “With the Necromancer Lord’s amassed power and his insidious raids collecting corpses, the only reasonable conclusion is that the battles ahead will be even more gruelling than anything you have experienced in the past. But do not lose heart in the face of this dark threat, for we are the flame, and darkness fears us!”

“Well said, My Lord. Perhaps we could come together in prayer before we depart?” Junia suggested.

“That is s a splendid idea, sister. Even those who are not devout or do not share our faith are more than welcome to join us,” Reynauld said, sweeping an arm towards Estelle, Dismas and Missandei. “Thou art invited as well, My Lord.”

The Heir nodded and joined the eight adventurers in a circle. He bowed his head in silence, listening to Junia’s supplication for protection and victory. It was a small moment of peace for everyone present. The circle dispersed after the prayer finished, and the first team set off on their way. The Heir and the second team watched them follow the Old Road for a few minutes before turning down a side path and disappearing from their view.

“Come on, guys. Let’s go to the Guild,” Estelle said, being the first to head back into the Hamlet. “We've got a few days to get ready, so let’s work out some tactics.”

“A sound plan, Estelle,” Reynauld said as he followed. “Come, Brothers.”

The Heir followed them back into the Hamlet, passing more barricades and roving patrols along the way. He parted ways with the other four at the town square, watching them enter the Guild before heading back to his office. In the split second after the Heir sat down at his desk, Ambrosius appeared in front of him.

“Every creature has a weakness. The wise hero trains for what she will face,” the phantom said ominously.

“What are you referring to?” The Heir raised an eyebrow.

“The three Crusaders and that ‘Bracer’, of course,” Ambrosius replied. “Their training will be much needed in the days to come.”

“I take it you have some insights to provide?” the Heir asked.

“Indeed, I do. That attack, that senseless bloodshed. I was behind it, in a fashion. But you already know that, do you not?” Ambrosius said.

“I had an inkling you were responsible in a way, but how?” the Heir asked, expecting more vague statements and non-answers.

“Mastery over life and death was chief among my early pursuits. I began in humility, but my ambition was limitless. Who could have divined the prophetic import of something as unremarkable... as a twitch in the leg of a dead rat?” Ambrosius began. “I entertained a delegation of experts from overseas, eager to plumb the depths of their knowledge and share with them certain techniques and alchemical processes I had found to yield wondrous and terrifying results. Having learned all I could from my visiting guests, I murdered them as they slept.

“I brought my colleagues back with much of their intellect intact - a remarkable triumph for even the most experienced necromancer. Freed from the trappings of their humanity, they plied their terrible trade anew: the dead reviving the dead, on and on, down the years. Forever.” Ambrosius finished his tale, leaving the Heir’s mouth agape in disgust and shock. After a few silent moments from the Heir, Ambrosius spoke up once more. “This is the terrible truth behind the skeletal legions infesting the Ruins, and I fear the last ‘survivor’, the delegation’s ringleader, has some grand and terrible design which will consume the Hamlet if not stopped in time.”

The Heir broke out in a cold sweat, disgusted that the forefather he formerly admired in his youth had resorted to such atrocities all in the name of knowledge and discovery. Gasping, reeling, he sat down at the base of the statue, leaning against it for support.

“You…you fiend…” he muttered under his breath. “What have you unleashed? What manner of horrors am I…are _we_ facing?”

“The legions of risen dead are all you need to concern yourself with for now,” Ambrosius said as he began to fade away. “Steel yourself for the trials ahead.”

* * *

 

**West Entrance**

With Barristan occupied elsewhere, Missandei on an expedition, and Reynauld being ordered not to engage except in the direst circumstances, the defence of the western portion of the Hamlet fell to Margaret due to her status as a noble. Over half of the town watch had been committed to the defence of the western entrance with the remainder either on standby or patrolling the waterfront. Spearmen and swordsmen were on the ground, and crossbowmen as well as archers were on the rooftops. While she was chatting with some of the militiamen, the Abbey’s bell sounded.

“Please return to your homes! Threats approach from the west!” the town crier shouted at the top of his lungs.

“To arms! To arms!” Margaret shouted after she climbed up a ladder leading to a house’s roof, joining several archers. To get a better look at the enemy, she took out her trusty lightweight hunting telescope. “Hmm…there’s over forty of them, mostly bone rabble and a handful of bone arbalests. Archers and crossbowmen, get ready!”

Margaret continued to peer through her telescope at the advancing enemy. Her hunting instincts served well as she picked out landmarks along the Old Road that would help her determine the enemy’s distance. _Steady…steady…just a little closer…_

As soon as the first rank of skeletons marched past a tree stump, Margaret ordered the troops to fire their arrows and bolts. The projectiles found their mark, shattering bone and sending half the invasion force clattering to the ground in pieces. Although the archers and the crossbowmen were quick in reading the next couple of volleys, a lot of bone arbalests were still left intact due to their armor. The marching force stopped its tracks, and the front ranks of bone rabble and arbalests dropped to their knees, giving the last rank a clear shot.

“Take cover!” Margaret cried out as she flattened herself against the roof. While most of the town watch were able to get behind the barricades, a handful were too slow and thus became victims to the bone arbalests’ bolts. The vengeance from the town watch was swift and merciless. The arrows and bolts, combined with a musket shot from Margaret, obliterated the attacking force. Before Margaret could take a breath of relief, the sound of marching feet echoed down the Old Road once more. A quick glance through the telescope revealed a much larger force, consisting of bone rabble, bone arbalests, and bone bearers.

“All archers and crossbowmen target the bone bearers first! We don’t want them raising the dead again! Fire on my command!” Margaret commanded as she reloaded her weapon. “Those of you on the ground, bash in the heads of your dead! We don’t want their corpses turned against us!”

While bows and crossbows were nocked, Margaret looked through her telescope at the second wave. _That’s it, you flag-waving bastards. Just a little closer…That’s it! They passed the stump!_

“Fire!” she commanded, and the whistling of arrows and bolts soon followed, joined by a shot from Margaret. The volley took out some of them but not as many as she had hoped.

“Hurry up and reload! Do not let them blow their trumpets!” Margaret commanded as she desperately slammed the ramrod down her musket’s barrel. _Damn it, I’m running out of options! Unless…_

Margaret’s train of thought was interrupted by a long tone from the bugle of one of the bone bearers, causing the fallen bone rabble and arbalests to slowly put themselves together and rise once more. The risen foes continued their advance, with the majority funnelling onto the bridge while a few waded into the river. _No…I’m too late…Think, Margaret, think! The bridge is a natural choke point, and the ones in the river have to climb over the barricades._

“Infantry, defend the gap and hold the line! We can’t let them go further than the bridge!” Margaret commanded, barely able to contain the panic in her voice. “Archers and crossbows, fire at will! Prioritise the bearers first, then the arbalests! We can’t let this cycle continue! If you see any enemies climb over the barricades, fire at will!”

“My lady, this cannot continue. We need additional reinforcements!” one of the archers next to Margaret told her.

“I know,” she said curtly before taking out her hunting horn from its pouch and blowing on it in order to signal for reinforcements.

“The rest of you, keep firing into the enemy’s rear ranks until they’re laying on the ground in pieces! We can’t afford to have them shooting at us and reviving their own dead!” Margaret said right before she shot another bone bearer. _Okay, that one hit. Good. Four more to go…_

_“Where are the reinforcements?”_

_“Why won’t they die?”_

_“We need that staff-wielding girl and her strange magicks!”_

Fire, pour the powder, then the shot, ram it down, aim, fire again. With the chaos and din of battle, each step in the process was agonizingly long, and every shot felt like an eternity. Deep down in her mind, she had an inkling fear that her ammunition would be depleted before the enemy ranks did. _I can’t miss…I can’t afford to miss…I’d rather die than miss!_

A few more militiamen arrived, along with a group of adventurers who were assigned to the western entrance. Margaret’s relief was short-lived when an archer next to her loudly grumbled about how there were so few reinforcements for the battle.

“Stop complaining and start shooting!” Margaret shouted at the archer, being close to breaking point herself. She felt a familiar tingle all over the back of her neck, a hunter’s instinct that would only flare up if some unseen danger was approaching…

* * *

 

**Ruins**

“Mmm…yes…” the Necromancer Lord muttered to himself as he observed the battle through a bone bearer which he assumed direct control over. “The second phase of my plan is progressing well. This pathetic Hamlet cannot last long.”

Out of all the skeletal troops under his control, the commanders retained the most of their intellect and knowledge. Out of those commanders, a particularly ancient general had not only strategic insight, but also some capacity for speech. That allowed the Necromancer Lord and his coven, before they had been put down for good, to focus on refining their arcane knowledge while relying on the general for advice on all things military. It was during one of those strategy sessions that the general had brought up a particular advantage the undead had over the living. The Necromancer Lord intended to exploit that advantage in full in his campaign for vengeance.

He had learned of the Betrayer’s demise shortly after it had happened, but his thirst for vengeance was eternal. The Necromancer Lord had vowed long ago to bring ruin to the Hamlet and all those who lived within. A key part of the plan was to turn that Prophet to his will, then setting up a cult that the Necromancer Lord could manipulate from the shadows. The arrival of the new lord, who was apparently a descendant of the Betrayer, was initially seen as a minor obstacle. Yet that lord’s intrepid lackeys had shrugged off losses and braved numerous assaults, eventually slaying his two apprentices and putting the Prophet to the sword.

The matter grown worse when a strange new arrival managed to slay the Prophet for good and burn his corpse into a pile of smouldering ashes, leaving the Necromancer Lord with little in the way of options outside of gathering raw materials to build up his army for a powerful two-pronged assault on the Hamlet. While the first prong was in position and applying steady pressure, the second prong had taken a longer, more challenging route that would yield a greater payoff in the long run. If all went well, the first prong would wear the defenders down via a battle of attrition, leaving them vulnerable, and then the second prong would be able to destroy the rest.

“Hmm…the next wave should arrive along the Old Road soon,” the Necromancer Lord mumbled beneath his hood. “The Hamlet’s fall shall only be a matter of time.”


	12. Necromancer Lord (5)

**Guild**

With most of the town watch and adventurers out and about assisting in the Hamlet’s defense, the empty training area on the main floor was perfect for practice. After a quick discussion, Reynauld decided the team should start off with three-on-one spars in an attempt to simulate fighting large crowds of skeletal troops. The staccato sounds of shuffling feet and colliding weapons echoed throughout the Guild as each member of the team took turns fending off the other three.

After their bodies grew weary from sparring for so long, they took a break on a nearby bench. Reynauld removed his helmet to drink from his canteen, and his comrades did the same. He cast a sideways glance at Estelle and noticed she had a somewhat surprised expression on her face. He took it as a sign that she was seeing the faces of the two other Crusaders for the first time. Balian had been barely more than a boy when he joined the Crusade, and even now his chin-length black hair and thin beard did little to disguise his youth. But he had proved himself a capable fighter and a charismatic leader during the Crusade, outshining men twice his age. Almaric nevertheless delighted in teasing Balian about his youthful innocence; once, Balian would have gone red and fallen silent, but these days he was more likely to laugh and point out Almaric's increasingly barren scalp instead. Reynauld was glad to be able to count them among his comrades; they were both powerful warriors and good friends, even if their bickering occasionally tested his patience. Reynauld leaned back against the wall, smiling to himself as he reminisced. It was almost enough to quell the gnawing worry in his heart.

“I gotta say, you guys work really well together,” Estelle said. “I got a pretty good workout fighting you guys.”

“You give yourself too little credit, Estelle. I have never encountered anyone who spars as ferociously as you,” Balian chuckled. “If you were holding back, then our enemies shall be in for a nasty surprise.”

“I was somewhat skeptical when Reynauld spoke so highly of your fighting skill. But if anything, he understated your prowess,” Almaric said. “Isn’t that right, brother?”

"I suppose I did," Reynauld admitted, forcing a smile.

Some of his worries must have shown on his face, because Balian frowned. "What is the matter, brother?" he asked. "You seem preoccupied. You were somewhat distracted during our duels, too."

“Thou art an astute one, brother. Unfortunately, I cannot even discern the cause myself.” Reynauld paused for a few moments before putting on his helmet and standing up. “Come, let us go check on the battle in the west. There is something I must see for myself.”

Taking a walk from the Guild to the west road did nothing to quell the uneasy feeling in Reynauld’s guts. If anything, he became even more anxious as he caught his first glimpse of the battle. Reynauld was no stranger to battling the undead, yet he still felt he was missing something very important, a detail a man with his experience should never have overlooked. As the group approached the western entrance, the chaotic cacophony of battle became louder. Clashing weapons, shouted commands, and the moans of the wounded fill the air. In addition to the arrow and musket fire from the rooftops, the infantry manned the gap in the barricade and kept the skeletons at bay with sword and spear.

 _Light, grant me wisdom and insight. Reveal unto me what I should see._ Reynauld glanced at the formed infantry holding the gap in the barricade leading onto the bridge. The front rank was bearing the brunt of the assault, and replacements from the rear were shuffling forward on a regular basis to relieve them, allowing their embattled comrades to fall back to the rear to rest. He saw Baldwin among them, standing right next to the barricade — which was now littered with shattered skeletons.

“I am surprised to see thee so far back, old friend,” Reynauld jested as he and the others approached Baldwin who was leaning heavily on his sword. “Thou art always the one to lead the charge.”

“A season for rest, and a season for battle,” Baldwin replied amidst labored breathing. “I may be idle now, but the cycle of time shall dictate my return to battle in short order.”

“How goes the fight?” Reynauld asked, hoping Baldwin’s answer would provide him with some insight into his own turmoil.

“Something is not right. The horde is simply trickling in, nothing more,” Baldwin replied. “You know as well as I do that the undead tend to attack in massive swarms, yet this rabble merely come in smaller waves.”

“Thy spirit is ill at ease too, I see. The undead’s attack pattern is suspicious, but I fear something else may be afoot,” Reynauld said as he unsheathed his own sword. “His Lordship hath ordered me to conserve my strength, but I am ready to assist if need be.”

Estelle cleared her throat. "I get how you feel, Reynauld, but it looks like things are under control here," she said, flanked by Balian and Almaric. "I want to kick some bony ass too, but we've got an even harder fight ahead of us."

“Estelle is correct, brother,” Balian said. “We have been here long enough, let us head—”

“Watch out! Over the top!” Baldwin suddenly called out, pointing at the top of the barricades. Reynauld saw several bone soldiers, river water dripping from their frames, preparing to jump down from the top of the barricade. With a loud grunt, Baldwin demolished one of them mid-jump with a single swing of his sword. The remainder were easily dispatched thanks to Reynauld and his companions.

“Some break away from the horde to trudge across the riverbed before making the climb,” Baldwin explained as Reynauld examined the wet remains. Suddenly, a flash of realization flared up in Reynauld’s mind like a fresh-lit torch. _No…I was a fool…how could I have missed this?_

“The trickle, the water, it…it all makes sense now,” Reynauld said, praying from the bottom of his heart that he was wrong and simply being paranoid. He shot up and looked through the eye slits on Baldwin’s mask and straight into the Leper’s eyes. “Send men to reinforce the waterfront! I shall meet them there!”

Reynauld then turned on his heel, motioning for Estelle and the other two Crusaders to follow him too.

* * *

 

“Reynauld, wait up!” Estelle quickly caught up with him, with Balian and Almaric following close behind. “What the hell was that? Why are you so riled up all of a sudden?”

“Have thou noticed how the bone soldiers were all wet? They had crossed the bottom of the stream before climbing over the barricades!” Reynauld explained as he continued his purposeful stride towards the waterfront. “The attack on the west entrance is merely a diversion!”

“A diversion from what?” Estelle asked.

They arrived at the beach where fishing boats were launched and nets dried. Aside from themselves and Barristan, who happened to be doing rounds in the area, there were only two militiamen and a handful of shipwrights examining one of the fishing boats. _I think I have an idea what this is about, but Aidios please don’t let it be true…_

“No, no, no…this is nowhere near enough,” Reynauld muttered under his helmet instead of answering Estelle’s question. He then rushed towards Barristan and spoke to him, but Estelle was too far to hear their conversation. Barristan’s face suddenly turned white as a sheet, then he issued orders for the militiamen to stand fast while sending the shipwrights way for their own safety as well as to call for additional reinforcements. Reynauld then turned to face Estelle and the other two Crusaders once more.

“I understand His Lordship instructed us to conserve our strength, but this is a truly urgent matter. The three of you shall join the defensive line and prepare for a tough battle ahead,” Reynauld said in a rushed tone. A splashing from the water’s edge caused him to whip around. “Oh no…we are too late…”

“What’s going on?” one of the militiamen asked, and Estelle noticed it was the same boy she fought next to during the swine attack.

The figures trudging out of the water onto the sand gave the boy the answer he needed: pelagic groupers whose bodies were covered in deep cuts and gouges. They keeled over dead after barely taking a step on dry land. Everyone readied their weapons even as their hands shook from dread and anticipation. Reynauld seemed to be quaking the most.

After a few silent moments that seemed like an eternity, ripples began to form on the water’s surface. The formerly clear water became murky from all the sand kicked up by the dark shapes within, which were drawing closer. Soon after, even the sand beneath the defenders’ feet began to shake and a muffled rumble could be heard from the sea. Fearful whispers were traded between the two militiamen while Barristan and the Crusaders stared at shoreline, bracing themselves for whatever may come next. Estelle took a closer look into the sea and understood why Reynauld was shaking so much.

A tactical orbment such as an ARCUS, once “bonded” with its user, can confer myriad abilities and boons depending on what kind of quartz is inserted. At that moment, Estelle happened to have the Detection quartz fitted, which allowed her to sense nearby enemies by showing them as glowing red silhouettes in her vision — even when they’re hiding behind obstructions.

In the sea, hidden by the cloud of sand, were hundreds of said silhouettes.

“We need to pull back!” Estelle blurted out, seeing how dire their situation really was.

“Coward! Stand your ground or I shall have you flogged for desertion!” Barristan said, and Estelle knew she had to quickly come with an idea to defend the beach _and_ convince her companions..

“Listen to me! You see this?” Estelle held up her orbment. “It allows me to see how many enemies are in that water, and there’s a ton of them! I have a plan, but we need to pull back and buy time!”

Reynauld held up a hand to stay Barristan’s anger. “Trust Estelle, friend. She has fought valiantly in every battle she’s been in and has no reason to desert.”

“I shall trust your judgement, Reynauld, but know that you will be equally as liable as the girl if the Hamlet is lost,” Barristan said before ordering the militiamen to pull back until there was a fair distance between them and the beach, and Reynauld ordered the other Crusaders to follow them.

“First things first, everyone form a line ahead of me,” Estelle said as she knelt down, took out her quartz box, and opened her ARCUS’s lid before taking out every single quartz held within its slots. _Best make it quick by starting fresh._

As the trembling beneath her feet worsened and panicked whispers spread even among the Crusaders, Estelle forced herself to look down. She had tried to conserve as much of her orbment’s energy as she could, but she was at a point where she could no longer afford to hold back. The first order of business was to swap in an Aries master quartz which allowed her ARCUS to recharge itself based on how much damage her offensive arts inflicted on the enemy as well as the amount of enemies said Arts hurt. Then in went a few quartzes that, when combined, would cut down her Arts casting time and power consumption while increasing the amount of damage her Arts could deal as well as how much orbal energy her ARCUS could hold.

With step one of her plan completed, Estelle stood back up and yelped at the sight ahead of her. The seven defenders, herself included, were facing an army of skeletons that was steadily marching up the beach. The front ranks were dominated by bone spearmen while the rear was filled with bone soldiers. The hulking form of a few bone commanders could be seen marching out of the water as well. Judging from what she saw earlier, Estelle figured the bulk of the army hadn’t even made it onto dry land yet.

“Cover me, guys! ARCUS, activate!” Estelle said as a glowing halo appeared around her. _Aidios, please make this quick. I’m not going to let anyone else die._

* * *

 

**Throne Room, Ruins**

_“Bones no need air, can march in water fine.”_

The Necromancer Lord was, at heart, a still a human being — albeit an undead one. Therefore, he still had lapses in knowledge and judgement and had not been aware of the advantages the undead had over the living until his general pointed it out to him. Surprising the living via an attack from the sea would give him the advantage he needed in order to achieve total victory over that pathetic Hamlet that had given him and his deceased colleagues so many problems.

_“Use smaller attack, distract living.”_

The first prong was to be nothing more than a diversion to tie up the defenders and leave the waterfront totally exposed. In order to have a clear view of his victory, the Necromancer Lord had assumed direct control of a bone spearman at the very front of his army as they marched up the beach. Said direct view proved the general’s advice correct as they were only facing seven fleshbags. He made out three stooges of the Light, a veteran who was probably the most experienced of the seven, two bare-faced boys, and a girl that seemed to be surrounded by a strange glow. _Pathetic mortals, you shall be cut down as wheat by the might of my army._

_“Concentrate troops, smash defences.”_

As per his general’s suggestion, the Necromancer Lord had opted to concentrate his entire army at one point along the waterfront in order to push through what meager defences the living hadn’t devoted to the west side. As his troops marched up the beach, he laughed at the pathetic seven-man defence which would fall in seconds against his onslaught. The spearman he controlled leveled his weapon along with the others in the first rank and charged at the seven defenders, ready to skewer them before moving on to the rest of the unsuspecting Hamlet.

* * *

 

**Hamlet Waterfront**

Even through his armor, Reynauld felt the ground beneath him quake from the trampling feet of the skeleton army. He still stood resolutely but knew full well that he and his six comrades would barely make a dent in the first two ranks before they were overrun by the enemy. Still, they had to buy the precious minutes needed for reinforcements to arrive, even if they fell in battle doing so. As the enemy marched ever closer, Reynauld saw that the center started to slow down while the left and right flanks marched on. The enemy formation started to resemble the jaws of an infernal beast, ready to pounce on the defenders at any given moment.

“Send these fiends back to their graves!” Reynauld raised his sword. “If we fall, we fall as martyrs!”

The maw of the enemy continued to close in, levelling their spears at Reynauld and his fellow defenders. He readied his sword, prepared to fight to the bitter end. _Oh Light, grant us strength and let Estelle’s plan succeed._

“Take this!” Estelle shouted from behind him. “Maelstrom!”

A wide bank of water suddenly erupted in front of Reynauld and his comrades before crashing down upon the skeletal troops in the front ranks. The furious flood shattered the front ranks of the enemy army before washing the rest back towards the sea, violently dashing skeletons against each other. The sight reminded Reynauld of the Scriptures which described mighty floods sent by the Light to wipe out the wicked.

“What?” Barristan shouted in surprise.

“It’s a miracle!” one of the militiamen said. “Praise the Light!”

A whirlpool formed a fair distance from the shoreline, drawing in both seawater and the water that Estelle had seemingly summoned out of thin air. The flood that had appeared in front of Reynauld joined three other equally powerful streams at the center of the whirlpool before converging into a titanic waterspout that put even the Abbey’s clocktower to shame. The waterspout sucked away so much water that even areas that were usually constantly submerged became dry land. Even at a distance, Reynauld saw that it had managed to suck up what must have been the bulk of the main enemy force and was dashing them against each other. Weapons, armor, and their owners were being violently thrown around inside the waterspout, shattering the skeletal horde against itself in a cacophony that sounded like constant thunderclaps to Reynauld. _Is this what her “Arts” are truly capable of? What manner of human is she, bending nature to her will?_

He had witnessed the wrath of the ocean before, when he was a passenger in one of the many ships that ferried troops to the Crusades. Yet seeing the mighty waves from a distance on a ship’s deck was nothing compared to standing up close in front of the maelstrom which Estelle had conjured. Seconds later, the waterspout crashed back onto the surface, crushing what little had remained of the enemy army in an explosion of water and bone. The additional water conjured by Estelle disappeared, leaving the sea level just as it had been before the attack. Reynauld's companions stared on in silence at the shattered remnants of the skeleton army, and he himself still could not process the apocalyptic miracle that had just transpired. After a few seconds, Barristan broke the silence.

“Estelle, you have my sincerest apologies,” Barristan told Estelle. “I was wrong to call you a coward.”

“Don’t sweat it, Barristan,” Estelle replied. “You probably never saw anything like this before.”

“What sorcery is this?” Almaric spoke up. “To manipulate the power of the water like that?”

“Show some respect, friend. This is probably a miracle from that goddess she worships,” Balian said. “Which makes Estelle a holy warrior of her faith!”

“Thanks for the compliment, but I’m not some miracle-granting nun who kicks ass for Aidios. I just used an Orbal Art, that’s all,” Estelle replied. “Think of it as extremely advanced science from my home. I don’t know as much as some other people, but I’ll give you a quick primer when we’re not in the middle of an invasion. Speaking of which…”

Estelle closed the lid of her strange device before examining it, and then let out a sigh of relief. “Boy, I sure lucked out. Good thing there were a lot of them in the water. That Art managed to recharge most of the power I spent to cast it! Any less and I would have to bust out an EP charge or two.”

“Thine actions have been commendable in every way, but let us return to the matter at hand. My brothers and Estelle, and I shall remain here for the time being to eliminate any survivors,” Reynauld said, taking charge of the situation and trying to get his comrades to refocus on their mission. “Barristan, thou can resume thy patrol and inform the reinforcements that they are no longer needed. The town watch shall remain in position and assist with the cleanup until their relief arrives.”

* * *

 

**Throne Room**

“No…no!” The Necromancer Lord could do nothing but scream in rage when he saw the flood approaching his army. The last thing he saw before his connection was severed was the bone spearman being tossed straight towards another spear. He tried to take control of the others in his army only to be met with failure. He lashed out with his claws, cutting down several of his bodyguards before turning his attention to the general. He thrust a clawed hand toward the skeletal general but stopped inches before he reached the skull. _No. He is still needed._

“How can this be? How can my mighty bone army fall to some…glowing girl!” He angrily pointed a finger at the general. “The entire assault is doomed because of your advice! If we hadn’t concentrated the troops in a single location, then we could have salvaged the attack!”

“Army was more than enough to destroy Hamlet. Never foresaw strange magician,” the general replied.

“‘Never foresaw’ is right. We could have used that Prophet to predict this disaster if he didn’t…” The Necromancer Lord trailed off. _The Prophet was completely destroyed with fire magic by the men working for the Betrayer’s progeny. What if the girl is the one who cast that spell? What if she comes for me next?_

“Something matter?” the bone general asked.

“Yes, it appears we have a major problem on our hands. Our forces are too depleted to continue the assault on the Hamlet. Although we had not anticipated this situation, the work the troops have been doing should be enough to resolve the problem,” the Necromancer Lord replied. “Send out more raiding parties into the Warrens for corpse parts but pull back the remainder of our forces to focus on protecting the Throne Room. I have work to do.”

The Necromancer Lord then trudged off towards one of his makeshift laboratories, past a group of reanimated brigands. It had been converted from a wine cellar and was strewn with corpse parts his troops had spent the last while gathering from nearby locations. They swayed and groaned in darkness as the Necromancer Lord made his way to the thing in the center of the room. Swathed in a gigantic covering stitched together from multiple pieces of human and swine skin, it was his masterpiece and the reason why he needed as many corpses as possible in the first place. The Necromancer Lord lifted a corner of the gruesome covering and peeked underneath, grinning while he did so.

“I suppose you have been lonely down here. Worry not, I shall have enough material to make you a brother soon enough,” he said, delightfully imagining that strange glowing girl being ripped limb-to-limb by his creation. “I just hope you don’t mind sharing your food.”

* * *

 

**Hamlet**

Word of Estelle’s “miracle” had spread quickly among the Hamlet’s denizens and defenders, greatly raising their spirits and rallying them to drive out the undead invaders in a complete rout. Villagers with pitchforks and other farm implements supplemented the town watch, housewives cooked extra meals for the weary defenders, and even children were put to work as couriers and messengers. By dawn next day, victory belonged to the people of the Hamlet, although at the cost of the lives of several town watchmen.

After spending the remainder of the day cleaning up and recuperating, a service in the Abbey was held for the fallen just as with the victims of the earlier undead attack. Estelle had been hesitant to enter since she knew full well she was considered a heathen by local standards, but Reynauld had assured her that she would face no hostility over her faith. While Reynauld was correct, Estelle was surprised by how much he had downplayed the amount of adulation the townsfolk gave her upon arrival.

To compound Estelle’s surprise, the Heir invited her to speak a few words at the service because of her newfound reputation. Estelle strode towards the pulpit, so reminiscent of the one she saw every day at the church in her home town. She looked at the crowd, which stared at her in a mix of adoration and anticipation, and her breath caught in her throat for a split second. _You can do this, Estelle. It’s is just like that one time I taught a bunch of kids about the Bracer Guild except with a bigger crowd. Aidios, please don’t let me screw this up…_

“I…I’m not a hero, just a Bracer doing my job and an outsider who was kindly taken in by the Hamlet when I had nowhere else to go. The real heroes are the ones we are honoring today, who gave everything they had to defend their home. I’ve only been here for a couple of months, but I can tell you are all strong people who continue to call this place home even in the face of horror and evil,” She paused to look out over the villagers, seeing some nod their heads or raise their fists in agreement. "In the next couple of days, I’ll be part of a mission to face the one responsible for all the death and misery during the past few days. I guarantee that justice will be done. Thank you.”

The congregation gave Estelle a standing ovation as she made back to her seat, with some of the ones she walked past reaching out to touch her clothing before clasping their hands in rapturous prayer. The action unnerved Estelle a little, but she figured it wasn’t the right place to ask about it yet.

The next day, Estelle and the three Crusaders resumed their training with great fervor, practicing battle drills over and over again. With the town watch no longer occupied by the threat of enemy attack and back on regular guard duty, they even enlisted some of the militiamen to act as the undead so Estelle and her companions could practice fighting as a team. After a couple of mock battles, Estelle noticed that every single militiaman spoke to her in hushed reverent tones.

“Reynauld, what’s going on?” she asked during lunchtime while they sat with Balian and Almaric. “First I had people touching me and then praying about it, and now the town watch is talking to me like I’m a king or something.”

“It is because of thy seaside miracle. These people have suffered much and prayed for miracles and deliverance all these years. Thou hast given them exactly that,” Reynauld replied. “Ponder this: a young lady appearing in the Hamlet all of a sudden, bearing strange yet powerful magic and leading her companions to victory. Does that not sound like something a saint would do?”

“Seriously? A saint? Me?” Estelle’s jaw dropped wide open. “I don’t even believe in the same god as you guys! Can’t you and the others do something about this? Like telling the people I’m not actually a saint?”

“If that is thy desire, then my brothers and I shall do everything in our power to dispel the myth,” Reynauld said. “Be aware that this may be a daunting task. Many people saw the titanic waterspout, and I am sure myths are spreading among the Hamlet’s people as we speak. Do not be alarmed if the people continue to approach you with reverence.”

After lunch, the Librarian brought the maps for the sector of the Ruins surrounding the Throne Room, and the team spent the rest of the daylight hours poring over them and strategizing how to best proceed towards the Throne Room.

_“It appears we may have to venture underground at times. Interesting, and a tad unnerving…”_

_“Hmm…I can get up on these balconies and support you guys with Arts from there…”_

_“We must be wary; the corridor seems especially narrow here…”_

_“Perhaps this storeroom has treasure…”_

And so, a relatively peaceful day passed by, a relief from two straight days of terror and bloodshed caused by the undead. Estelle’s own sleep was free of the nightmares that plagued her two nights before.

She was awoken from her sound slumber by a whisper: "Estelle, wake up!"

“Huh? What’s going on?” She groggily sat up. “Margaret?”

“The lookout reported seeing a flare coming from the direction of the Ruins,” Margaret replied, and Estelle instantly knew what she meant. Estelle quickly got ready and grabbed her staff before heading out to meet the others. She noticed that dawn was still a ways off

“Well met, Estelle, ” Reynauld greeted Estelle warmly. “Before we leave, I would like to speak for a few moments.”

“This mission shall not be an easy one. Even when supported by zeal and righteous purpose, the sharpest blade will dull when faced with too many powerful opponents. Our bodies will tire, our armor will fail, and if we are not careful, we shall become nothing but fresh fodder for that foul Necromancer Lord," Reynauld said solemnly. "But we shall not let that come to pass!  Estelle, friend of another faith, thy miraculous sciences and skills shall ensure our bodies will remain nimble and stalwart, our armor impervious to the enemy’s strikes, and our swords able to strike with force and fury never seen before. We are veterans of countless battles against the undead and shall take the battle to the enemy with holy purpose. Our experience combined with Estelle’s abilities will ensure that it is the Necromancer Lord and not us who shall become fodder. Let us go, and march to victory.”

After some quiet cheers to not disturb the other residents, the four of them made for the Ruins. The trek was quicker than the last time Estelle had been there thanks to a somewhat greater familiarity with the region, and they soon found the gap in the castle wall that had been marked out by the Librarian’s map. The four lit a torch and huddled together in a quick prayer, and then they marched into the stygian darkness together.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I got some bad news. I'm deploying, so the fic is going on hiatus until the summer. That being said, I should have plenty of time to come up with outlines for future chapters and arcs while I'm away.


	13. Necromancer Lord (6)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm back from deployment. Enjoy the new chapter! It's a bit longer than my usual ones, but hope it makes up for my little hiatus.

**Ruins - Hallway**

In the two months since Estelle’s last foray into the Ruins, it had somehow become even creepier and more tomb-like. The oppressive, stygian atmosphere had grown heavier, so much so that she even had trouble breathing on occasion despite the lack of any additional physical hazards such dust or smoke. With only a torch as illumination, Estelle watched the shadows like a hawk for threats. None came, despite having been hours since they had entered the ruined castle. Aside from their footsteps and hushed warnings about traps, there was no sound. The constant vigilance and tension were wearing down the party of four, Estelle herself included. _Even Sun Fortress was less creepy than this place, and that place was crawling with devils!_

“Reynauld, is it usual for this place to be so barren?” Balian finally broke the silence, voicing a concern Estelle had as well. “I have neither seen nor heard any signs of the enemy. Indeed, aside from our own footsteps and breathing, I have not heard any signs of life at all. Not even insects.”

Reynauld flinched and stopped in place before turning back to face Balian, halting the rest of the party as well. Although Estelle couldn’t see his expression, his body language was enough to show how unnerved he was.

“Nay. The Ruins are usually infested with the undead,” Reynauld replied. “We should have fought several of them by this time. Even if there are no skeletons, there would have been other foes.”

“Curious…and troubling too,” Almaric said. “Perhaps Estelle’s miracle wiped out all the forces he had?”

“Were it so easy. The scum must have withdrawn his remaining forces to better defend his inner sanctum.” Reynauld started walking again and motioned for the others to do the same. “We are deep in enemy territory. Expect heavy resistance at any moment.”

The team continued to walk in silence for some time until they saw an intersection ahead where the current hallway joined a larger one in a T-shape. The path to the other hallway was strewn with several large piles of rubble. A glimpse forward by Estelle showed several red shapes around the corner slowly marching towards the intersection, the Detection quartz working exactly as intended.

“Guys, stop,” Estelle whispered to the others. “Get behind that rubble pile closest to the intersection.”

Reynauld nodded and duly obeyed Estelle’s command despite being a couple of decades her senior. Seeing the amount of trust their leader put in the young woman, Balian and Almaric followed suit.

“All right, I sensed a few enemies around the corner,” Estelle said as she snuck a peek over the top of the pile. “Let’s get a drop on those bastards. It’s payback time for what they tried to do to the Hamlet.”

“Well said, Estelle,” Reynauld nodded. “I trust thou shall keep a lookout?”

“You read my mind,” Estelle said before holding a finger in front of her mouth to tell her companions to be quiet. Moments later, a rhythmic clattering and stomping sound was heard and slowly drew closer. With one hand tightly gripping her staff, Estelle stared through the rubble and the stone walls at the approaching red silhouettes. Soon, they were close enough for Estelle to make out the exact number and weapons: three bone spearmen and two bone arbalests.

 _If we get a drop on them from the back, they can’t use their crossbows,_ Estelle grinned as she held up her hand with three outstretched fingers. _Good._

_Three._

The skeletons rounded the corner and marched straight through the middle of the T-intersection, ignoring the smaller rubble-strewn hallway.

_Two._

Estelle and her companions crouched down and got ready to pounce as their oblivious foes marched straight forward.

_One._

Estelle took one more look around, making sure there were no other enemies around. Then she turned towards her companions and drew a line across her throat with her thumb.

_Go time._

The three Crusaders shuffled past Estelle around the rubble pile while Estelle herself vaulted over the top. They struck the unsuspecting enemy war party with fury and vengeance. The three Crusaders hacked into the two arbalests; their bayoneted crossbows useless in the face of the zealous onslaught. Estelle took advantage of the melee and jumped over the fight, landing right in front of the spearmen who were sluggishly turning towards the Crusaders. With a violent grunt, she swept her staff at their heads, pulverizing them with a single blow.

“Everybody okay?” Estelle asked, their shattered foes laying on the stone floor in pieces.

“All of us are fine. Let us proceed. The Librarian’s map shows we need to turn left at this intersection,” Reynauld replied. “Be wary. We may have just penetrated the enemy’s outer defenses.”

Estelle and the other companions nodded and kept moving, leaving the shattered skeletons behind. The victory, as small as it may be, put an extra spring in Estelle’s step as she delightfully imagined introducing the necromancer to the business ends of her staff.

* * *

 

**Throne Room**

The earlier group of the Heir's obedient fools had done a great deal of damage to the Necromancer Lord’s dark altars, leaving his magic greatly weakened except in the throne room itself. However, he still retained enough power to see through his minions. That was how he had been alerted to a second group of interlopers. The minions had been destroyed with ease, but not before the Necromancer Lord got a closer look at the strange twin-tailed girl. The last image he saw before the connection had been severed was her swinging a long staff with all her might, her furious grimace accentuated by her fury-filled red eyes glaring in the dark. Looking into those eyes made the Necromancer Lord feel something he hadn’t felt in an eternity: excitement.

He possessed a member of the raiding party in the Warrens and saw that the skeletal troops there were fighting a losing battle against the horrid mass of half-dead swine flesh the Betrayer had inadvertently created decades ago. He sighed in annoyance, both at the Betrayer for creating a mass of uncontrollable flesh (unlike his own creations) and the fact he won’t have his human corpses any time soon. _The Betrayer continues to frustrate me even in death, it seems._

He mumbled curses under his breath as he proceeded back down to the morbid workshop. His second creation was barely halfway complete, and there was simply no way to complete it any time soon. The first raiding party was doomed, and he could ill afford a second one considering how close the enemy was. The Necromancer Lord grunted in frustration, plumbing the depths of his knowledge for a quicker solution. A skittering noise interrupted his thoughts. It was a spider, skulking back into the shadows.

 _I had hoped to not rely on them too much, but the situation has become quite dire._ He froze in place, staring at the retreating spider. _Yes. These will have to do._

A pair of bony claws peeked out from under his sleeves as he approached the spider, ready to commence his work.

* * *

 

**Ruins - Hallway**

As Estelle and her companions traversed the stygian halls, the skeleton attacks became more and more frequent. Yet they soldiered on, slashing and smashing their way past any resistance. The sluggish skeletons were no match for the four living warriors.

“These foes are nothing before our holy might!” Balian exclaimed after finishing off the last bone soldier to occupy a room they were in. The only remarkable thing there was a shattered black monolith of some sort, with the bottom still mounted on a bronze tripod. Estelle figured it must have been at least as tall as a human adult while intact.

“Be wary, brother. Our easy victories are built upon the backs of Lucian and his companions,” Reynauld said as he gestured towards the shattered black stone. “Their desecration of the necromancer’s dark altars, conduits for his dark power, hath greatly weakened our foes. Even then, we are dealing with their ringleader: a Necromancer Lord. Aside from Estelle, you all know what evil they are capable of.”

"Indeed, I still remember the evil they wrought during the Crusades. But I have faith in the Light that we shall triumph," Balian said. "And from what you say, it appears Lucian has given us much to thank him for. I propose a celebratory feast when we return!"

“Do not be so hasty, young one,” Almaric chided. “We still have not slain the enemy commander yet.”

“Therein lies the crucial part: ‘Yet’,” Balian retorted. “It is only a matter of time before our foe lies slain at our feet.”

Estelle remained silent during the Crusaders’ conversation, thinking back to Weissmann and Joachim. One had engineered an atrocity which resulted in a war that had killed her mother on top of making her beloved Joshua’s life a living hell. The other had run a cult which routinely tortured and experimented on children, with Renne being one of a handful of survivors, and used the results to make a drug to turn people into devils. Was the so-called Necromancer Lord, who desecrated the dead and used them as slaves and cannon fodder, that much viler than Weissmann and Joachim to the degree that he needed to be slaughtered on the spot? Estelle wasn’t sure, but she did know one thing: Unlike Weissmann and Joachim, Estelle felt zero pity for the so-called Necromancer Lord. Not after the rotting old man tried to eat his own granddaughter alive and gave Estelle nightmares that would probably never go away. Her grip tightened as she thought back to the little girl she had saved. _I’ll make sure these people never have to suffer like that again._

Something ahead caught her attention. Through the darkness, she saw a door up ahead with red silhouettes behind them.

“Guys, we got more enemies up ahead,” Estelle said, and a putrid stench soon reached her nose. “Ugh, and it smells really bad too. Seems like it’s coming from behind that door.”

“Hmm…I can smell it too now,” Reynauld said as they approached. “Be on thy guard, everyone.”

“This smell. It is far too familiar,” Balian said. “I can never forget it so long as I live.”

Estelle raised an eyebrow at Balian’s remark, but after getting closer to the door, Estelle realised exactly what it was: rotting corpses. As Estelle gazed at the red humanoid silhouettes on the other side, images of the rotting horde pouring out of the graveyard resurfaced in her mind and washed away any previous enthusiasm she had for battle. She shook her head to dismiss those awful memories and refocus on the fight ahead. _Damn it, I can’t let it get to me! Come on, Estelle! Focus! We’re not like those innocent people! We can fight back!_

“Looks like we’ll be fighting more walking corpses,” Estelle said as they walked up to the door, staring at it. “Hold on, don’t go in yet.”

She took out her ARCUS and checked the power level. Fortunately, it was almost full thanks to the combination of the Ingenuity quartz and the Thor master quartz, which recycled some of the force behind her staff strikes and turned them into orbal energy. Satisfied, she cast a La Forte followed by a Chrono Drive. Balian and Almaric both yelped in surprise as Estelle’s support Arts strengthened their bodies and increased their speed, but Reynauld stood silently, clearly used to Estelle’s Arts.

“Don’t worry. This’ll help us fight better,” Estelle explained. “Now, let’s put some corpses down.”

Estelle then kicked the door down and sidestepped, allowing the Crusaders to rush inside first before joining them herself. The smell of death and decay was the strongest at the source: the four cultist brawlers laying in wait behind the door. Judging by the dried, emaciated flesh clinging to their skeletons, they must have been dead for over two months. Upon seeing Estelle and her companions, the brawlers snarled and trudged forth like rotting, ravenous beasts, flashing the clawed gauntlets which had served as their weapons in life. However, the clumsy way in which the reanimated cultists wielded their clawed gauntlets were no match for the Crusaders' zealous swords and Estelle’s staff. Moments later, victory was achieved, and the cultists lay dead at their feet.

“Brothers, what are thy thoughts about Estelle’s Arts?” Reynauld asked.

“Nothing but awe and gratitude, Reynauld,” Balian replied before turning to address Estelle. “I felt stronger than a bull and swifter than a fine steed. My deepest thanks for your role in our victory.”

“Don’t sweat it, Balian. I’m far from the best Arts user back at home, but I’ll do whatever I can to help you guys out,” Estelle’s victorious grin turned into a frown when she and the others heard more shuffling and moaning come from the exit. “Get ready, we got more baddies coming our way.”

Estelle’s anticipation was quickly replaced by disgust as the enemy burst into the room. It was a group of brigands who couldn’t have been dead for more than a week, including two cutthroats who duel-wielded knives and a hulking bloodletter who had an especially horrendous stench emanating from its bloated corpse. Their clothes were torn at various spots, exposing the fatal sword wounds that end their mortal lives. Writhing maggots shook free with each shuffling step they took, their white eyes fixed intently on Estelle and her companions. Their howls and growls echoed throughout the hallway, shaking Estelle to her very core. Yet she refused to back away and stood her ground, ARCUS in one hand and staff in another while Reynauld and the others advanced. The Crusaders charged at the corpses, with Reynauld taking on the bloodletter in the center while the other two engaged the cutthroats on the left and right.

Unlike the cultists, the (comparatively) freshly killed brigands were far nimbler with their weapons. Using some of the skills they once knew in life, the cutthroats locked their blades with Balian and Almaric. Living and undead clashed together in combat as they blocked and parried each other’s blows, each trying to gain the upper hand. Estelle helped her companions by casting a Chrono Break on the undead group, slowing them down significantly. She surveyed the situation anxiously, ready to cast more Arts in case her companions needed more help.

The bloodletter clumsily pulled out its flintlock but Reynauld dashed forward and sliced off the gun arm before it could take the shot. The bloodletter did not even flinch from the dismemberment as it pulled out its whip, only for Reynauld to cut the other arm off. Yet the hulking brigand kept coming at the Crusader, this time with its teeth.

“Return to thy grave, fiend!” Reynauld shouted as he stabbed straight up, through the undead bloodletter’s chin and putting it down for good. The bloodletter’s corpse hung limply, precariously propped up by its own two feet and Reynauld’s sword. With a grunt, Reynauld pulled out his sword and kicked the corpse right in its gut to push it back. The body burst apart as the maggots which called it home swarmed outwards and splashed some of the foul ichor on Reynauld. Unlike Estelle, who yelped in surprise and disgust, Reynauld simply kicked the maggots aside. He then moved on to help a struggling Almaric by cutting off the reanimated brigand’s head and crushing it under his boot. Meanwhile, Estelle had rushed to assist Balian by caving in the skull of the other cutthroat with her staff. Even then, Balian roared in rage as he continued to attack the downed corpse by cutting off its limbs before kicking them away.

“Anybody need healing?” Estelle asked as she looked over her allies for any signs of injury, slightly unnerved by the sudden display of brutality. She sighed in relief when her companions all said they did not require aid.

“Let us proceed before other foes arrive,” Reynauld said. “We must slip through their defenses quickly.”

“But what about your armor?” Estelle asked, almost gagging at the smell and the grisly sight of her fallen foes. “You got nasty dead body…stuff all over you!”

“Thank thee for thy concern, but all of us have had similar experiences in our past campaigns,” Reynauld shrugged. “I am long accustomed to the scent and ichor of the dead. Come, let us tarry no further. The Necromancer Lord may already be aware of our location and sending forces to pursue us as we speak.”

The party of four set off once more, and Estelle found herself thinking about the battle that had just transpired and Reynauld’s reaction to being splashed. Estelle knew full well that she would have puked on the spot just like back at the Warrens, yet Reynauld soldiered on. Furthermore, the other two Crusaders were equally as nonchalant about fighting the rotting corpses as he was. As composed as they were, Estelle could tell they carried themselves with fury as they attacked the reanimated corpses. _What did they see during their Crusade?_

“Estelle?” Balian called out, shaking Estelle from her train out thought.

“What’s up, Balian?” she replied as he and Almaric slowed down their pace to walk beside her.

“Reynauld told me a little about you.  He said that not only have you never fought the undead prior to your arrival at the Hamlet, but that you did not even know what necromancy was,” Balian said to her. “Truth be told, I am quite envious of your previous innocence.”

“As am I,” Almaric said curtly.

“Hope you guys don’t mind me asking, but what exactly did you guys fight during your Crusade?” Estelle asked. “I thought it was just against an enemy army, but…”

“It is as you imagine, except a thousand times more horrific,” Balian replied. “Reynauld is the oldest of us that survived, and he has witnessed many more atrocities than we have. For now, just know this: there are very good reasons why the art of raising the dead as puppets and slaves is an abomination unto The Light.”

“Indeed, and we shall purge the land of its practitioners by faith and blade no matter the cost,” Almaric said. “If nothing else, we do it to bring peace to the fallen themselves.”

Estelle simply nodded. Something as evil as necromancy was simply nonexistent back in Zemuria, and it sickened Estelle to her core that such dark magic existed in this world. She had read some horror novels in the past but living them was something else entirely. She thought about the Crusaders with her and the Hamlet’s people. What she had dealt with for only two months, they had dealt with for years if not even more. _These people are strong, and so am I. If they can get used to it and keep on fighting and living, then so can I. I’m going to get through this, because I still need to find Joshua and go home!_

As they proceeded deeper and deeper into the Ruins, Estelle and her companions encountered more enemies with alarmingly increasing frequency. Although they had some lucky breaks, such as reanimated brigand fusiliers that clumsily wielded their firearms as clubs, it was mostly an uphill battle. They were able to get the drop on the enemy every time thanks to Estelle’s Detection quartz but fighting group after group of the undead in the dim ancient halls were starting to wear on everyone. The Crusaders seemed to mask their weariness with a newfound brutality. Their grunts were replaced by chanted curses in the Light’s name, and simple killing blows were supplemented by almost ritualistic skull-crushing and limb-severing. Even Estelle herself started to have brief flashes of doubt about whether they would emerge victorious or even survive the whole ordeal. Yet her sense of shock and disgust began to fade with each battle, replaced by anger at the one responsible. _That Necromancer Lord bastard is gonna pay for everything he did!_

Suddenly, rattling chains and a series of howls coming from further down the dark corridor they were in made the party stop dead in their tracks and ready their weapons.

“What the hell was that?” Estelle asked. “That didn’t sound like those rotting freaks at all!”

“Brace thy selves! Those were ghouls!” Reynauld said as he readied his sword, with the other three following suit.

Estelle was about to ask what ghouls were when she saw two hulking figures accompanied by four smaller ones coming towards them. Both larger creatures were humanoid in shape with pallid grey skin and bright yellow eyes that betrayed a ravenous hunger. Dried blood caked their claws and sharp teeth, and filth-encrusted hair clung tightly to their scalp. They wore tattered loincloths, necklaces made from long-dead skulls, as well as thick metal collars with two chains attached to each one. The chains themselves were in the hands of four bone rabble that served as the ghouls’ minders, all straining to keep the ghouls in check.

The ghouls snapped and snarled as they trudged forward side-by-side, barely kept in check by their handlers. "The shriek pierced Estelle like a blade, igniting atavistic terror and an overwhelming urge to flee that she barely resisted.

“Overwhelming terror!” Balian cried out.

“The floor seems to pitch and buckle!” Almaric said as he shook his head, most likely to try to clear his thoughts.

“I must master my fear!” Reynauld said resolutely as he charged at the left ghoul. “Brothers, slay the other one! Estelle, support us!”

With hands shaking from a primal fear, Estelle pulled out her ARCUS. Just then, the left ghoul snatched a skull from its morbid necklace and threw it straight at Estelle’s face. She failed to dodge in time and the skull struck her squarely on the left temple, dazing her.

“I…this…can’t…” Estelle hoarsely gasped as she held a hand over her left temple and eye. She dizzily stumbled forward as she tried to blink away the blur in her vision. The world around slowly regained its sharpness, and she could see that her companions were locked in combat against the hulking monstrosities. To her horror, Estelle realized she had dropped her ARCUS after the skull hit her head. A quick survey revealed it had somehow clattered past the Crusaders and ended up right behind the two ghouls.

Even without her Orbment, Estelle was still a formidable physical powerhouse thanks to years of Bracer experience and training. She saw that Reynauld needed the most help, so she rushed towards his side.

“Out of my way!” Estelle shouted at the ghoul as she swung at its knee, shattering it with a sickening crunch. The ghoul howled in pain as it fell forward, frantically swinging its claws at Reynauld and Estelle, who blocked its strikes with ease. Estelle then caved in the ghoul’s skull with her staff and Reynauld finished the job by decapitating it.  The two bone rabble handlers dropped the chains and pulled out their clubs before charging. They died within seconds.

They hadn't even caught their breath when Balian suddenly cried out in pain. Reynauld and Estelle exchanged glances, then Estelle nodded towards her fallen ARCUS. Reynauld seemed to understand what she meant and started hacking at the two remaining bone rabble. Estelle dashed and scooped up her ARCUS before whipping around. Reynauld had already finished off the bone rabble and was slashing at the other ghoul, distracting it so Almaric could drag Balian to safety, blood trailing behind him. Estelle quickly joined Reynauld and helped him fight off the second ghoul. The battle proved far easier because it was only using one arm; the other had all its fingers severed for some reason. Estelle dodged a swipe before shattering the ghoul’s good arm, distracting it long enough for Reynauld to stab it straight in the heart. As the ghoul tried to weakly pull away, Estelle smashed its skull just like the other one, finally ending the battle. With the threats eradicated, Estelle and Reynauld focused on the next most urgent thing.

“Balian! Speak to me, brother!” Reynauld frantically called out as he and Estelle rushed to the other two Crusaders.

“Damn…damn bastard found chinks in my armor. Tried to rip out my guts with those talons, but I cut them off.” Balian said as Almaric frantically removed pieces of armor, blood steadily leaking out of the various seams and joints. Estelle pitched in as well and soon exposed the source of the blood: a deep gash that was far worse than the wound she suffered at the hands of the Collector. His helmet had been removed, exposing his pale and sweaty face. Estelle instantly recognized it as a sign of shock.

“Thou hath aided us tremendously, brother. Estelle and I had an easy victory thanks to thy act.” Reynauld dropped his bag and started pulling out bandages, but Balian weakly shook his head.

“I’m no fool, brother. I know I have lost too much blood, and the ghoul must have torn me up inside.” Balian gestured towards the blood trail he had left behind. “I suppose this is my time to go into the Light, after so many years of toil and battle.”

“No, you’re not dying on us.” Estelle spoke up as she flipped open her ARCUS’s lid. A warm blue light washed over Balian seconds later, and his wounds quickly sealed up. Reynauld and Almaric gasped in amazement as they saw color and life returning to Balian’s face at a miraculously rapid pace. Balian took a few deep breaths and sat up straighter as he felt his now-healed wound.

“Balian? How do you feel?” Almaric asked.

“This…this is a miracle. My side still stings, but the wound…it has fully healed! This is a miracle! Glory be unto the Light…and Estelle’s Goddess!” Balian exclaimed as he tried to stand, but judging by how unsteady he was it was obvious he he still needed more time to recover his strength

“Reynauld, I understand you wish to see this task to its end, but we should consider bringing Balian back to the Hamlet,” Almaric suggested. “We can return to slay the Necromancer Lord another day.”

“Absolutely not!” The objection came not from Reynauld, but Balian instead. “Do not abort this holy quest for my sake! We must finish the work Lucian and his companions started. I may be weakened for a time, but all I require is some food and a night’s rest.”

“And let the Necromancer Lord’s forces slaughter us as we sleep?” Reynauld objected. “Hath our past conflicts taught thee nothing? The enemy shall search and chase us tirelessly until either we win or we lay dead in this tomb.”

“Uh, guys? I’m just as worried about these freaks hunting us down as the rest of you, but I have an idea,” Estelle said, raising her hand. “I felt a breeze coming from the walls in a hallway we just passed through. What if there’s a secret room that the maps haven’t accounted for? I bet the Necromancer fella didn’t know about it either.”

“Very well, lead the way,” Reynauld said. After repeating the pattern of destroying the fallen enemies’ heads and limbs, they followed Estelle as she retraced her steps until she felt the breeze again. She looked at the source: a wide supporting column. Estelle felt the column and gave it a hard push, feeling it slide a little. She pushed the fake column aside with help from the Crusaders and found herself looking into a dark doorway. The team went inside, making sure to slide the fake column back into place.

The secret passage was not long, and they soon found themselves in a small storeroom of sorts that looked like it hadn’t been touched in decades. The only other occupant was the desiccated corpse of a brigand who must have starved to death. Without hesitation, the Crusaders rushed forward and crushed its skull as well as cutting off its limbs before throwing the remains into the corridor they had just come from.

“What the hell did you guys do that for?” Estelle asked. “That guy was already dead! He can’t hurt us anymore!”

“Human life may be fragile, but the human body is not! Even after the soul hath passed on, a sufficiently skilled necromancer can still revive the body for their nefarious purposes,” Reynauld replied. “Destroying the head makes it far more difficult for a necromancer to resurrect body, assuming they do find a replacement head. As for limbs, it makes it harder for any risen corpse to move. Art thou satisfied by this answer?”

Suddenly all their earlier actions made sense, and Estelle could have kicked herself for not realising it earlier. "Yeah, thanks -- that does clear up a few things," she said. "Come on, let's set up the campfire."

* * *

 

Instead of using the firewood they had brought, Estelle swapped in a few fire quartzes and used her ARCUS as an improvised stove. She took over cooking again, managing to make a decent-tasting stew from the salted meat, hardtack, and preserved vegetables they had brought with them. They chatted quietly after finishing their meal, their morale somewhat heightened by the meal and the reprieve from combat. Estelle decided it was a good time as any to ask about the ghouls she and her companions had just fought.

“Raving mad creatures who only hunger for human flesh. They are usually feral and can be found in every region surrounding the Hamlet,” Reynauld said darkly. “Yet it appears the foul Necromancer Lord had tamed them as hounds. This is yet another reason why we must slay him as soon as possible, before he has time to rebuild his forces and launch another assault on the Hamlet.”

"Sounds like you've had a lot of experience with necromancers and the undead. Was that what your Crusades were about?" Estelle asked quietly. "What happened, Reynauld?"

Reynauld looked down for a few moments, as if trying to compose his thoughts. Estelle could tell from his expression that his thoughts were heavy with past burden, something she was far too familiar with from her interactions with Joshua and Renne. He slowly lifted his head, mouth slightly agape for a moment, and spoke up once more.

“I have prayed and reflected upon it, and I believe it is time to tell thee of our worst battle. Some of my men had been routed and taken prisoner a month prior. Taking counsel from a bishop who accompanied us as a spiritual leader, I had instructed my remaining forces to be on watch for them while conducting their campaigns,” Reynauld said. “One day, a scouting party sighted the prisoners at a lightly-guarded camp led by one of the enemy’s foul necromancers. We rejoiced at the possibility of finally rescuing the men while eliminating a necromancer and formed a plan to attack at dawn.”

Estelle raised an eyebrow, wondering where Reynauld was going with the story. She had an inkling, but she prayed to Aidios that she was wrong.

“When we arrived, our men were strangely all sitting wordlessly along the camp’s perimeter, not even attempting to escape or overpower their outnumbered guards. Then, it happened. They rose up as one and began charging — no, shambling — at our forces.” Reynauld started to sweat as he continued his tale. “The men…they had been dead for days! Estelle, I had to look my captured men in their cold, lifeless eyes as I cut them down!”

 _He had to kill his own men? And they were attacking their own allies?_ Estelle’s eyes widened in shock and bile rose in her throat. _It’s just like my fight against those walking corpses, but at least I knew they were already dead. These guys went in hoping they were still alive._

Reynauld paused to take a few deep, shaking breaths as Balian and Almaric put their reassuring hands on his shoulders.

“Some of them... some hadn't even lived long enough to see their fifteenth winter. What should have been a joyous victory became a charnel house as my living men and I battled against our undead brethren.” Tears welled up in Reynauld’s eyes as he recounted his tale. “As for the camp guards and their necromancer ringleader, we burned all of them at the stake along with the corpses of my slain men.”

 _Fifteen. That’s not even old enough to become a Bracer. Those poor kids._ Estelle wiped away a stray tear, thankful that she never had to deal anything remotely close to what Reynauld had to went through.

“Something broke inside us that day, especially the bishop and myself. The bishop — Guy was his name — became more and more unhinged and bloodthirsty. At first he simply took to the field alongside the men with a blessed war hammer, then his counsels and sermons were more about blood and vengeance than about righteousness and holiness,” Reynauld said. “We stopped taking prisoners, putting them to the torch instead. When he advised me to murder trade caravans and burn to the ground villages that harbored no enemy forces, I decided to put an end to the madness. I had him drugged that night and left him in the care of a caravan bound to the nearest port. To this day, I do not know what befell Guy... only that he did reach the port safely.

“Thus my tale concludes. Not many of us who were present for that battle are still living today, but the three of us are among them,” Reynauld said as he gestured towards Balian and Almaric. “Estelle, dost thou now understand the evils of necromancy? Why necromancers and their creations must be purged mercilessly?”

“Yeah, I do. I finally do,” Estelle nodded, her heart filled with a grim determination. “If necromancy existed in Zemuria, the church would do everything they could to stamp it out. I’ll help you guys do the same, and make sure the Hamlet will never have to put up with this evil again.”

The group sat around the campfire and chatted some more, the topics being much more lighthearted. As the exhaustion set upon the group, they put out the campfire, and Almaric offered a quick prayer for blessing and protection. Aside from Estelle, who took first watch, the group drifted off to sleep.

 _I wonder what Joshua’s going through. It can’t be as bad as this, can it?_ Estelle thought as she sat in the darkness. _All the places I’ve been to so far are freakishly creepy, but Joshua could have easily escaped or found me during a past run. If he still hasn’t showed up at the Hamlet yet, then he must trapped in some place I haven’t been to._

She flipped open her ARCUS cover, the photo of her and Joshua together lit up from the ARCUS’ backlight. A sad smile crept over her eyes as she looked at it. _I’ll get out of this alive, then I’ll get Mr Heir to send me one of those new places. Somewhere in this hell is my beloved Joshua, and I’m gonna find him no matter what._

Soon, it was Estelle’s turn to sleep. She crept into her bedroll and drifted off, her last thoughts being what to tell Joshua when they finally reunited.

The next morning, the group set off once more, with Balian feeling refreshed and ready to fight once more. They smashed through any resistance on the final stretch of their warpath towards the throne room and arrived soon after. The team huddled together as they went through their battle plan one last time.

“I’m sensing a lot of uglies on the other side, including some big ones. No surprises there, since the enemy leader would save the best for himself. His most elite warrior are probably close to him too,” Estelle said as she looked over the map. “I’m expecting a bone commander, a bone bearer or two, plus a whole bunch of those stupidly annoying freaks with shield and axes. What are they called again?”

“Bone defenders,” Reynauld replied.

“Yeah, those guys. Anyway, the throne room is narrow, tall, and long. The Necromancer Lord is probably all the way at the other end. You guys are going to have to cut through several ranks of enemies,” Estelle continued. “Meanwhile, I’ll go up this balcony on the left side and provide Arts support from there. I’ll also take out any resistance on the balconies themselves.”

“The Necromancer Lord may have one remaining dark altar that is well-protected in order to maximize the use of his dark magic. Try to destroy it with thy Arts,” Reynauld said. “Considering how desperate our foe may be, expect surprises as well. Remember, his magic is strong and matched only by his evil and creativity.”

After going over a few more details, Estelle announced she had some last-minute preparation they needed. She pulled out her ARCUS, swapped in a few quartz she needed, and cast a few Arts to make she and her entire party as strong, fast, and durable as they can be. Thanks to her quartz setup, the casting was almost instantaneous. After she was done, Estelle adjusted her ARCUS one last time to make sure she had a decent balance between attack power and casting speed.

“Everybody feel good?” Estelle asked, and the Crusaders nodded.

“All right, let’s go kick some ass!” Estelle quipped before walking up to the large ancient wooden doors. “Hey, freakshow! KNOCK KNOCK!!!”

Estelle roared as she swung her staff with all her might, shattering the heavy doors and sending pieces flying into the undead army on the other side. The Crusaders let out battle cries as they rushed past her to meet the enemy head on. Estelle herself then stepped inside and clambered up the ladder to the left-side balcony. Several bone courtiers splashed their noxious drinks on her the moment her head peeked above the opening. Fighting off the urge to gag and ignoring the slight burning sensation on her clothes and skin, Estelle whipped out her ARCUS.

“Take this!” An arc of lightning shot forth straight at the skeletons in front of her. The severe electric shock turned metal into slag and burned the courtiers’ clothing to ash. The charred skeletons clattered to the ground in pieces, giving Estelle some much-needed time to assess the situation.

_Okay, Reynauld and the others are making some good progress. They've cut through about four or five ranks already. That Necromancer Lord is at the other end, just like we expected. Got all his bone defender buddies and a commander with him too. Reynauld was spot on about the dark altar, but it being behind the enemy boss and all his guards makes it hard to get to. What’s with those two rubble piles beside him anyway? I get the creeps just looking at them…_

A chant in some long-dead language that was nauseating to listen to suddenly echoed throughout the room. The source of the chant, the Necromancer Lord, stood up and pointed a pallid talon at the three Crusaders. Suddenly, the shattered pieces of the slain skeletons were drawn to each other like magnets and began to pull themselves back together.

“Guys! Watch out behind you!” Estelle warned the Crusaders, who quickly assumed a back-to-back-back formation to better protect themselves. Yet the damage had been done, and the offensive was stopped dead in its tracks due to the enemy risen behind them.

“ARCUS, activate!” Estelle cast an Aerial at the Necromancer Lord, and a tornado began to form around the Necromancer Lord’s throne. To her horror, the bone defenders and other skeletal troops at the rear climbed on top of each other to form a defensive pyramid  around the Necromancer Lord. The tornado tore through the skeletal pyramid, pulling them loose and dashing them against each other, but the Necromancer Lord was left intact and the bone commander was no worse for wear either. With a wave of his hand and more unholy chanting, the decimated bodyguards began to reform themselves. However, that was the least of her worries. Instead, her eyes were glued to the two massive humanoid figures, each twice as big as an adult human at the very least, that were poking out from the rubble displaced by her Art.

The Necromancer Lord raised his arms above his head and chanted once more in his ancient, nauseating language, but Estelle did make out two words she could understand: “flesh golem”. The two hulking forms slowly stood up amidst what sounded like thousands of voices moaning at once. Estelle took a closer look and wished from the bottom of her heart that she hadn’t.

The thing on the left was made from countless human corpses welded together by the Necromancer Lord’s dark magic, with the “head” made from several upper torsos. Its limbs were composed entirely of arms and legs, with pieces of forearms and calves forming crude approximations of fingers and toes. The torso was simply a mishmash of bodies and moaning faces. As much as the first flesh golem scared her, the second was even worse.

As a child, Estelle had loved catching bugs and that even extended to spiders. However, gazing at the second abomination made her want to kill or run away from every spider she saw for the rest of her life. Its lower half was entirely made from human parts, but the top part was made of spider parts haphazardly mixed with human flesh. Being made of several spider heads, the second flesh golem’s “head” was miniscule compared to the rest of its body. Its fingers were simply spider legs fused together with fangs serving as fingertips. Several spider abdomens jutted out from its torso, twitching and waiting to spray their webs at any potential victims. The two flesh golems roared in unison. Fierce, towering, nightmare made manifest.

“Stooges of the Light! Cast your eyes upon me and despair! An army of the dead surrounds you; loyal guardians protect me from harm, and two of my mightiest creations will feast upon your flesh and that of the brat with you!” the Necromancer Lord taunted the Crusaders. “Struggle like the worms you are but know that my remaining forces will converge upon this place soon. There is no hope in this hell! None at all! Now, flesh golems, claim my victory!”

The two gigantic monstrosities trudged down the length of the throne room, each step causing the ground to quake. The fully human golem waded through the skeletons horde to get to the Crusaders, with any that were crushed or pushed aside simply reforming in their wake like a sea of bones. Starting from the end closest to the throne, the spider-like flesh golem began to tear down the balcony Estelle was on, haphazardly throwing rubble which Estelle had to either dodge or swat aside.

“Crap!” Estelle tried to keep her balance and avoid getting hit while her ears were filled with bone chattering, monsters roaring, and the despairing prayers for strength and deliverance from the Crusaders below. Even Reynauld, the oldest and most experienced among them, prayed for salvation as he frantically slashed and stabbed at the enemies around him while the flesh golem stomped towards their position. Estelle herself desperately dodged and batted while the spider golem drew closer towards her, her breath catching in her throat. The enemy ahead of her was far more horrific than anything she had ever fought before, including the devils in the depths of Phantasma’s Abyss. She desperately tried to prop herself up with her staff so she wouldn’t fall to her knees.

_What am I gonna do? Reynauld and the others are just going to get overwhelmed! That Necromancer Lord is just going to keep putting his guards together no matter how many times I cast my Arts, not to mention those two freaky flesh golem things! There’s no way the Crusaders can take on one of them plus all the skeletons. Oh crap…oh crap…are we gonna die here? Aidios, save us…_

_“Estelle, breathe.”_ A memory of her father’s training session interrupted her thoughts. _“When you feel overwhelmed and the battle seems unwinnable, the least you can do is breathe.”_

After ducking behind a nearby pillar, Estelle did exactly that. She took a deep whiff of the stale air, yet it still gave her a measure of relief. She tuned out the Crusaders’ increasingly desperate cries and the shaking surroundings as she quickly formulated a plan, seizing a moment of clarity in the eye of the storm. _I’m better than this. I know more than just Arts and simple staff smashes. We’re working pretty quick here, so my Arts haven’t worn off yet. Good._

After casting a healing Art on the Crusaders just to be safe, Estelle crouched down like a leopard while continuing to smash any rubble that was thrown towards her. She stared past the flesh golem ahead of her towards the Necromancer Lord, not with fear but with anger and purpose. The one that had used reanimated corpses and skeletons to cause all the death and misery in the Hamlet was in clear view. Even though the Necromancer Lord was surrounded by powerful and horrific guardians, Estelle was determined to make him pay.

The Crusaders below were fighting with all the might and righteous fury they had, and she could do nothing less. Bracing herself, Estelle channelled all her anger and spirit into her staff, just like Dad had taught her.

“All right, get ready!” Estelle shouted as she took off on a running start towards the end of the balcony, grunting to hype herself up even more. A fire-like aura began to envelop her, yet she did not burn. Estelle jumped from what remained of the balcony and used the spider golem as a springboard, aiming to land straight on that dark altar behind the Necromancer Lord’s throne. Estelle twirled in mid-air before dropping towards her target, channeling the full force of her strength and rage in a brilliant confluence of skill and purpose.

“Phoenix! WAVE!”


End file.
